Recreation therapist demographics and statistics in the US
Recreation therapist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates recreation therapist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our recreation therapist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about recreation therapists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,044 recreation therapists currently employed in the United States.
- 72.5% of all recreation therapists are women, while 27.5% are men.
- The average recreation therapist age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of recreation therapists is White (74.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.2%), Black or African American (6.5%) and Unknown (4.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 9% of all recreation therapists are LGBT.
- Recreation therapists are 79% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Recreation therapist demographics by:
Recreation therapist gender statistics
72.5% of recreation therapists are women and 27.5% of recreation therapists are men.
- Female, 72.5%
- Male, 27.5%
Recreation therapist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 72.5% |
| Male | 27.5% |
Recreation therapist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$63,163
Female income
$61,882
Recreation therapist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in recreation therapist positions over time. Currently, 72.5% of recreation therapists are female.
Recreation therapist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 34.14% | 65.86% |
| 2011 | 38.60% | 61.40% |
| 2012 | 28.82% | 71.18% |
| 2013 | 26.14% | 73.86% |
| 2014 | 22.77% | 77.23% |
| 2015 | 34.23% | 65.77% |
| 2016 | 24.91% | 75.09% |
| 2017 | 29.81% | 70.19% |
| 2018 | 30.33% | 69.67% |
| 2019 | 24.91% | 75.09% |
| 2020 | 25.16% | 74.84% |
| 2021 | 27.49% | 72.51% |
Recreation therapist related jobs gender ratio
We compared recreation therapists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Recreation Therapist | 27% | 73% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Recreation therapist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among recreation therapists is White, which makes up 74.7% of all recreation therapists. Comparatively, 10.2% of recreation therapists are Hispanic or Latino and 6.5% of recreation therapists are Black or African American.
- White, 74.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 10.2%
- Black or African American, 6.5%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Asian, 3.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Recreation therapist race
| Recreation therapist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 74.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.2% |
| Black or African American | 6.5% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Asian | 3.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Recreation therapist race and ethnicity over time
See how recreation therapist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Recreation therapist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.88% | 11.18% | 2.48% | 4.97% |
| 2011 | 80.94% | 10.56% | 2.82% | 3.52% |
| 2012 | 81.75% | 7.94% | 3.17% | 5.56% |
| 2013 | 81.56% | 7.84% | 2.35% | 5.49% |
| 2014 | 75.08% | 9.14% | 5.88% | 8.49% |
| 2015 | 75.00% | 10.00% | 1.67% | 9.17% |
| 2016 | 79.08% | 11.11% | 4.58% | 2.61% |
| 2017 | 79.01% | 7.41% | 4.32% | 7.41% |
| 2018 | 75.34% | 13.01% | 4.79% | 4.11% |
| 2019 | 74.94% | 10.85% | 5.17% | 7.75% |
| 2020 | 72.97% | 6.49% | 9.19% | 6.49% |
| 2021 | 74.73% | 6.53% | 3.27% | 10.21% |
Recreation therapist wage gap by race
According to our data, white recreation therapists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino recreation therapists have the lowest average salary at $56,797.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $64,313 |
| White | $66,593 |
| Black or African American | $63,008 |
| Asian | $65,593 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,797 |
Recreation therapist age breakdown
The average age of recreation therapists is 40+ years years old, representing 57% of the recreation therapist population.
Recreation therapist age breakdown
| Recreation Therapist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Recreation therapist educational attainment
The most common degree for recreation therapists is bachelor's degree, with 76% of recreation therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Recreation therapists by degree level
| Recreation therapist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 76% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Recreation therapist jobs you might like
Recreation therapist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, recreation therapists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $59,264 annually. With a Associate degree, recreation therapists earn a median annual income of $50,801 compared to $43,970 for recreation therapists with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,970 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,264 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,801 |
Recreation therapist employment statistics
Most recreation therapists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where recreation therapists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where recreation therapists work.
Recreation therapist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 15% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Recreation therapist jobs by company type
Employees with the recreation therapist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most recreation therapists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Recreation therapist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 79% |
| Government | 10% |
Recreation therapist jobs by industry
The most common industries for recreation therapists are health care, non profits and professional.
Recreation therapist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 63% |
| Non Profits | 9% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Government | 6% |
| Education | 4% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Recreation therapist turnover and employment statistics
Recreation therapist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for recreation therapists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Recreation therapist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Recreation therapist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.79% |
| 2011 | 5.65% |
| 2012 | 1.90% |
| 2013 | 3.70% |
| 2014 | 3.08% |
| 2015 | 0.98% |
| 2016 | 5.69% |
| 2017 | 2.99% |
| 2018 | 0.81% |
| 2019 | 1.83% |
| 2020 | 3.33% |
| 2021 | 7.92% |
Average recreation therapist tenure
The average recreation therapist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,391 recreation therapists resumes in Zippia's database.
Recreation therapist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Recreation therapist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of recreation therapists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Recreation Therapist | 9.40% | - |
| Baby Doctor | 9.88% | 1,178 |
| Obstetrics Gynecology Physician | 11.62% | 47,501 |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Physician | 13.05% | 46,489 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Similar recreation therapist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Doctor | 9.88% | 1,178 |
| Obstetrics Gynecology Physician | 11.62% | 47,501 |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Physician | 13.05% | 46,489 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Foreign languages spoken by recreation therapists
The most common foreign language among recreation therapists is Spanish at 59.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 59.8%
- French, 7.6%
- Chinese, 5.4%
- Mandarin, 3.3%
- Swedish, 2.2%
- Other, 21.7%
Recreation therapist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.8% |
| French | 7.6% |
| Chinese | 5.4% |
| Mandarin | 3.3% |
| Swedish | 2.2% |
| Other | 21.7% |
