Career profile · 29-1125
Recreational Therapists
Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
What the work can involve
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
- Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- English Language
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Thinking Creatively
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Documenting/Recording Information
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 84.2%08/2022 · sample 38 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 51.4%08/2022 · sample 37 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Every day | 52.6%08/2022 · sample 38 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 78.4%08/2022 · sample 37 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Less than half the time | 54.0%08/2022 · sample 37 |
| Spend Time Standing | About half the time | 48.6%08/2022 · sample 35 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Less than half the time | 39.5%08/2022 · sample 38 |
| Time Pressure | Once a month or more but not every week | 34.2%08/2022 · sample 38 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 42.1%08/2022 · sample 38 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 92.1%08/2022 · sample 38 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Electronic mail software: Email software, Microsoft Outlook
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Medical software: Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- Music or sound editing software: Avid Technology Sibelius, Hyperscore, MakeMusic Finale, Musical instrument digital interface MIDI software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Voice recognition software: Speech recognition software
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for recreational therapists
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 48 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $57,360 | $27.58 | 160 |
| Arizona | $62,610 | $30.10 | 170 |
| Arkansas | $42,670 | $20.52 | 70 |
| California | $98,170 | $47.20 | 1,920 |
| Colorado | $66,580 | $32.01 | 200 |
| Connecticut | $63,240 | $30.40 | 380 |
| Delaware | $51,110 | $24.57 | 70 |
| District of Columbia | $95,640 | $45.98 | 50 |
| Florida | $57,980 | $27.87 | 640 |
| Georgia | $52,010 | $25.00 | 530 |
| Hawaii | $64,500 | $31.01 | 40 |
| Idaho | $49,720 | $23.90 | 90 |
| Illinois | $54,910 | $26.40 | 440 |
| Indiana | $53,770 | $25.85 | 190 |
| Iowa | $56,140 | $26.99 | 230 |
| Kansas | $40,010 | $19.24 | 710 |
| Kentucky | $59,240 | $28.48 | 100 |
| Louisiana | $51,150 | $24.59 | 190 |
| Maine | $57,560 | $27.67 | 40 |
| Maryland | $64,300 | $30.91 | 290 |
| Massachusetts | $62,820 | $30.20 | 210 |
| Michigan | $61,700 | $29.66 | 590 |
| Minnesota | $76,360 | $36.71 | 250 |
| Mississippi | $39,560 | $19.02 | 140 |
| Missouri | $58,620 | $28.18 | 140 |
| Montana | $51,110 | $24.57 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $62,980 | $30.28 | 150 |
| Nevada | $78,730 | $37.85 | 400 |
| New Hampshire | $82,280 | $39.56 | 70 |
| New Jersey | $60,400 | $29.04 | 430 |
| New Mexico | $49,210 | $23.66 | 100 |
| New York | $65,520 | $31.50 | 1,230 |
| North Carolina | $51,030 | $24.53 | 440 |
| North Dakota | $58,370 | $28.06 | 80 |
| Ohio | $60,770 | $29.22 | 310 |
| Oklahoma | $50,480 | $24.27 | 120 |
| Oregon | $66,530 | $31.99 | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,940 | $28.34 | 720 |
| South Carolina | $48,880 | $23.50 | 190 |
| South Dakota | $46,850 | $22.53 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $51,910 | $24.96 | 150 |
| Texas | $62,490 | $30.04 | 800 |
| Utah | $56,640 | $27.23 | 210 |
| Vermont | $63,380 | $30.47 | 40 |
| Virginia | $61,270 | $29.46 | 570 |
| Washington | $77,860 | $37.44 | 240 |
| West Virginia | $49,010 | $23.56 | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $59,350 | $28.54 | 350 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 95 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 29-1125.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.