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The differences between recreation therapists and child life specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a recreation therapist and a child life specialist. Additionally, a recreation therapist has an average salary of $55,992, which is higher than the $55,201 average annual salary of a child life specialist.
The top three skills for a recreation therapist include patients, CTRS and mental health. The most important skills for a child life specialist are patients, child development, and patient care.
| Recreation Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,992 | $55,201 |
| Hourly rate | $26.92 | $26.54 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 54,263 | 90,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A recreation therapist is responsible for supporting the patients' physical and mental wellness by organizing therapeutic programs and activities, depending on the patients' condition and existing treatment plans. Recreation therapists work with other medical health professionals for advice and medication needs. They also track the patients' progress, maintain a medical chart, and report any updates to the physicians and patients' family members. A recreation therapist manages the resources and materials for the activities and ensures the safety and security of the participants.
The job of a child life specialist is to help children and their families navigate the process of injury, illness, trauma, hospitalization, and disability. These health care professionals perform varied duties that include helping children and their families better understand the procedure and process of their medical experience. They also work on developing strategies to lessen the trauma and improve their understanding of a diagnosis by providing support, guidance, and information to family members. They are also expected to work closely with other members of the health care team in coordinating and managing care.
Recreation therapists and child life specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Recreation Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Average salary | $55,992 | $55,201 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $85,000 | Between $31,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cottage Health | L.E.K. Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a recreation therapist and a child life specialist in terms of educational background:
| Recreation Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Rehabilitation Science | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between recreation therapists' and child life specialists' demographics:
| Recreation Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.5% Female, 72.5% | Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |