Activity therapist vs staff therapist

The differences between activity therapists and staff therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an activity therapist and a staff therapist. Additionally, an activity therapist has an average salary of $54,001, which is higher than the $52,147 average annual salary of a staff therapist.

The top three skills for an activity therapist include patients, mental health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a staff therapist are patients, individual therapy, and mental health.

Activity therapist vs staff therapist overview

	Activity Therapist	Staff Therapist
Yearly salary	$54,001	$52,147
Hourly rate	$25.96	$25.07
Growth rate	4%	14%
Number of jobs	25,092	101,575
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	43	46
Years of experience	12	12

What does an activity therapist do?

An Activity Therapist specializes in organizing set activities for patients in hospitals or those undergoing therapy. Recreational activities are essential for uplifting patients' moods and recuperating mentality from the stresses involved with medication and hospitalization. An activity therapist outlines a list of activities customized for the types of patients that will join the activity. Activity Therapists coordinate with other physicians, therapists, and psychologists to better develop activities that benefit everyone.

What does a staff therapist do?

A staff therapist is someone who assists in the treatment of patients using electrical stimulation, exercise, and other means of electrotherapy to regain their bodily functions. The core skills that a staff therapist should possess to accomplish their responsibilities include a keen eye for details and excellent mathematical and problem-solving skills. The job's education requirements include completing a physical therapy program and possessing a bachelor's degree in medical technician, physical work, occupational therapy, or a related field.

Activity therapist vs staff therapist salary

Activity therapists and staff therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Activity Therapist	Staff Therapist
Average salary	$54,001	$52,147
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $78,000	Between $35,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Barbara, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Stanford University
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between activity therapist and staff therapist education

There are a few differences between an activity therapist and a staff therapist in terms of educational background:

	Activity Therapist	Staff Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Rehabilitation Science	Medical Technician
Most common college	Columbia University in the City of New York	Boston University

Activity therapist vs staff therapist demographics

Here are the differences between activity therapists' and staff therapists' demographics:

	Activity Therapist	Staff Therapist
Average age	43	46
Gender ratio	Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%	Male, 37.3% Female, 62.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between activity therapist and staff therapist duties and responsibilities

Activity therapist example responsibilities.

Manage ventilator care, intubation, arterial line placement, mechanical ventilation, BIPAP, and CPAP.
Organize and participate in treatment programs and activities that facilitate clients' rehabilitation to help integrate back into the community.
Work with rehabilitation service's program coordinator to plan treatment programs that facilitate clients' rehabilitation through social and environmental interventions.
Show love and compassion, always in a happy mood.
Provide therapy for children on the autism spectrum in their homes.
Supervise children with autism, schizophrenia, and the mentally challenge.

Staff therapist example responsibilities.

Manage ventilator care, intubation, arterial line placement, mechanical ventilation, BIPAP, and CPAP.
Lead RRT position involves direct resident care such as ventilator set up, changes, weaning, and maintaining.
Provide high-quality patient care in all areas of the facility including ICU, CCU, PACU, NICU and ER.
Chart record of patient therapy; teach patients proper use and administration of respiratory medication such as MDI s and spacers.
Conduct weekly Medicare, Medicaid and private pay reports, submit quality indicator and MDS reports and metrics for QA/QC reports.
Document resident progress using MDS weekly, quarterly, annually and significant changes regarding therapeutic activity pattern.

Activity therapist vs staff therapist skills

Common activity therapist skills

Patients, 29%
Mental Health, 11%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Treatment Programs, 7%
CPR, 6%
Recreational Therapy, 5%

Common staff therapist skills

Patients, 17%
Individual Therapy, 16%
Mental Health, 7%
Group Therapy, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 4%
Physical Therapy, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Activity Therapist
Activity Therapist vs Staff Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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