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The differences between activity therapists and therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a therapist has an average salary of $55,943, which is higher than the $54,001 average annual salary of an activity therapist.
The top three skills for an activity therapist include patients, mental health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a therapist are social work, patients, and group therapy sessions.
| Activity Therapist | Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,001 | $55,943 |
| Hourly rate | $25.96 | $26.90 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 25,092 | 159,770 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
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.
A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients. Some of their duties include diagnosing patient's problems, performing counseling services, monitoring medication progress, customizing therapy activities for pain management, and consulting other health professionals as needed. Therapists must have extensive knowledge with the medical industry to detect patients' conditions easily and provide effective medications.
Activity therapists and therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Activity Therapist | Therapist | |
| Average salary | $54,001 | $55,943 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $78,000 | Between $39,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Childhelp |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an activity therapist and a therapist in terms of educational background:
| Activity Therapist | Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Rehabilitation Science | Psychology |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between activity therapists' and therapists' demographics:
| Activity Therapist | Therapist | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| 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, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 12% |