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Director of recreation therapy education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a director of recreation therapy. Directors of recreation therapy usually study rehabilitation science, recreation management, or psychology. 72% of directors of recreation therapy hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 331 real director of recreation therapy resumes to see exactly what director of recreation therapy education sections show.
The most common colleges for directors of recreation therapy are the Indiana University South Bend and the Indiana University South Bend.
There are also many online director of recreation therapy courses to help get the education required to be a director of recreation therapy.
There are certain director of recreation therapy certifications that you should consider. These director of recreation therapy certifications include Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) and Massage Therapy Certification (MT).
What education do you need to become a director of recreation therapy?
What degree do you need to be a director of recreation therapy?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 10%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a director of recreation therapy?
- Psychology, 9%
- Business, 6%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for directors of recreation therapy
| Director of recreation therapy common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Indiana University South Bend | 8.33% |
| University of Florida | 5.00% |
| University of Iowa | 5.00% |
| Brigham Young University | 5.00% |
| Central Michigan University | 5.00% |
Best majors for directors of recreation therapy
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation Science | 34.8% |
| 2 | Recreation Management | 11.6% |
| 3 | Psychology | 9.2% |
| 4 | Business | 5.8% |
| 5 | Physical Therapy | 4.8% |
Best colleges for directors of recreation therapy
The best colleges for directors of recreation therapy are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.
A director of recreation therapy with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors of recreation therapy. 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 directors of recreation therapy.
1. SUNY College at Cortland
Cortland, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,536
Enrollment
6,325
2. Minnesota State University - Mankato
Mankato, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,184
Enrollment
11,675
3. University of Idaho
Moscow, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$7,864
Enrollment
7,528
4. Northwest Nazarene University
Nampa, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$29,800
Enrollment
1,268
5. Northern Vermont University
Johnson, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$12,074
Enrollment
2,099
6. Unity College
Unity, ME • Private
In-state tuition
$29,160
Enrollment
734
7. Prescott College
Prescott, AZ • Private
In-state tuition
$31,485
Enrollment
394
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
20 best online courses for directors of recreation therapy
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Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of recreation therapy
The most affordable schools for directors of recreation therapy are Brigham Young University, hunter college of the city university of new york, and florida international university.
If the best universities for directors of recreation therapy 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 directors of recreation therapy.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,283
Cost of attendance
22,243
6. Augusta University
Augusta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$8,604
Cost of attendance
20,618
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Cost of attendance
24,718
8. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. Minnesota State University - Mankato
Mankato, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,184
Cost of attendance
19,883
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of recreation therapy
The hardest universities for directors of recreation therapy to get into are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.
Some great schools for directors of recreation therapy 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 directors of recreation therapy 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
3. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
4. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
8. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
9. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
10. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,326
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of recreation therapy
The easiest schools for directors of recreation therapy to get into are AdventHealth University, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of recreation therapy 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 directors of recreation therapy.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Albertus Magnus College
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
931
9. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
10. Clarke University
Dubuque, IA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,058
Average director of recreation therapy salary by education level
| Director of recreation therapy education level | Director of recreation therapy salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $225,957 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $152,947 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $207,502 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $185,755 |
Director of recreation therapy education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025