Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Activity therapist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an activity therapist. Activity therapists usually study rehabilitation science, psychology, or recreation management. 71% of activity therapists hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,344 real activity therapist resumes to see exactly what activity therapist education sections show.
The most common colleges for activity therapists are the Columbus State University and the Columbus State University.
There are also many online activity therapist courses to help get the education required to be an activity therapist.
There are certain activity therapist certifications that you should consider. These activity therapist certifications include Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) and Music Therapist - Board Certified (MT-BC).
What education do you need to become an activity therapist?
What degree do you need to be an activity therapist?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an activity therapist?
- Psychology, 21%
- Social Work, 5%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for activity therapists
| Activity therapist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Columbus State University | 8.00% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.43% |
| New York University | 6.86% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.29% |
| Florida State University | 6.29% |
Best majors for activity therapists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation Science | 25.4% |
| 2 | Psychology | 21.1% |
| 3 | Recreation Management | 7.5% |
| 4 | Social Work | 5.1% |
| 5 | Education | 4.2% |
Best colleges for activity therapists
The best colleges for activity therapists are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Washington University in St Louis.
An activity therapist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for activity therapists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become activity therapists.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
2. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
5. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
20 best online courses for activity therapists
Advertising disclosure
1. Sit Less, Get Active
Physical inactivity and sedentariness are “silent killers”. Do you feel like you spend too much time sitting? Do you feel like you would like to be more active? Are you unsure about how to incorporate physical activity into your daily life? We are here to help. Join us on a journey to learn about how to sit less and become more active. Use this FREE course to learn how to monitor your own activity and set physical activity goals. We will feature various examples of how physical activity could...
2. [Active Directory] Management using Windows PowerShell
[Power Shell] Simplified practical knowledge for automation & management of [Active Directory] using Windows Power Shell...
3. PowerShell for Active Directory Administrators
Use Power Shell to manage Active Directory users, computer, groups, security settings and more on Windows Server...
4. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): The Complete Course
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)...
5. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs
Active Directory & Group Policy Administration Basics for Helpdesk and Desktop / IT Support Technicians...
6. SAP Activate Project Manager Masterclass (C_ACTIVATE_22/13)
Learn SAP Activate Methodology (Act100) Learn Agile Methodology (Act200) Based on Activate 22 and Activate 13...
7. Active Directory on Windows Server
Learn how to deploy and manage all aspects of Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS and many more technologies...
8. Azure Active Directory Masterclass
Learn to be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Azure Active Directory...
9. Identity & Access Management - Azure Active Directory
Learn about Identity, Directory , SAML , OAUTH , Open ID Connect , Identity Security and Azure Active Directory...
10. CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Therapists & Coaches
Comprehensive CBT Therapy Training Cognitive Behavior Therapy Practitioner Level Treat Anxiety, Depression & More...
11. [Accredited] Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Counselor
Learn DBT in depth, start conducting sessions with ready to use templates, and set up counseling practice within weeks!...
12. Azure - Active Directory
Learn Azure as it pertains to Active Directory...
13. Active Directory Pentesting Full Course - Red Team Hacking
Attacking and Hacking Active Directory...
14. Active Directory & Group Policy Lab
Learn REAL job skills and stack your resume with the experience you will gain in this course!...
15. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions: Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health - Integrative Holistic Approach...
16. Managing mental health issues in the workplace
Learn how to support your own mental health and wellbeing and that of your staff...
17. Azure Active Directory And Azure AD Domain Services
Learn how Azure Active Directory, On-Premises Active directory and Azure AD Domain Services (AADDS) integrate together...
18. Active Listening: A Practical Guide to Be an Active Listener
Become a Specialist Active Listener and Harness Your Charisma to Increase Your Impact Influence and Income Earn PDUs...
19. Active Directory Pentesting With Kali Linux - Red Team
Attacking and Hacking Active Directory With Kali Linux Full Course - Red Team Hacking Pentesting...
20. Introduction to CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Online Counselling & Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Training Course...
Top 10 most affordable universities for activity therapists
The most affordable schools for activity therapists are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and university of south florida.
If the best universities for activity therapists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for activity therapists.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for activity therapists
The hardest universities for activity therapists to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Washington University in St Louis.
Some great schools for activity therapists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for activity therapists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for activity therapists
The easiest schools for activity therapists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an activity therapist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for activity therapists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
7. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
8. Dominican College of Blauvelt
Orangeburg, NY • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,038
9. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
10. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
Average activity therapist salary by education level
| Activity therapist education level | Activity therapist salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,791 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $56,727 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,633 |
Activity therapist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
Search for activity therapist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025