According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2019 there were just over 19,000 recreational therapists (RTs) working in the United States. Recreational therapists work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and continuing care retirement communities. While most RT jobs require a bachelors degree and certain technical skills, the pay scale for RTs is considerably lower than it is for workers in most occupations. In fact, according to BLS estimates, as of May 2019 the national mean wage for RTs was $51,130 per year, slightly less than the $53,490 annual mean wage for workers in all occupations. These were the 20 best states for recreational therapist pay according to BLS' May 2019 data:
| California | $75,370 |
| Hawaii | $63,870 |
| Washington | $61,750 |
| Connecticut | $61,250 |
| New Jersey | $61,040 |
| Minnesota | $57,090 |
| Massachusetts | $56,480 |
| New York | $56,220 |
| Oregon | $55,390 |
| Iowa | $54,400 |
| Wyoming | $51,770 |
| New Hampshire | $51,550 |
| Arkansas | $51,060 |
| Arizona | $50,320 |
| Missouri | $49,990 |
| Illinois | $49,590 |
| Utah | $48,780 |
| Florida | $48,700 |
| Delaware | $48,660 |
| Kentucky | $48,520 |
So where does your state rank for RT pay?
Check out Recreational Therapist Average Wages by State to find out what RTs earn in other states.
