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Job outlook for recreation therapists in the United States
Recreation therapist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected recreation therapist job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 600 new jobs for recreation therapists are projected over the next decade.
Recreation therapist salaries have increased 3% for recreation therapists in the last 5 years.
There are over 4,044 recreation therapists currently employed in the United States.
There are 54,263 active recreation therapist job openings in the US.
The average recreation therapist salary is $55,992.
Are recreation therapist jobs in demand?
Recreation therapist job and salary trends over time
Recreation therapist jobs over time
Recreation therapist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,044 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,783 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,542 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,488 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,404 | 0.00% |
Average recreation therapist salary over time
Recreation therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,992 | $26.92 | --1.1% |
| 2024 | $56,591 | $27.21 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | $56,168 | $27.00 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | $55,957 | $26.90 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $54,466 | $26.19 | +1.1% |
Recreation therapist jobs by state
Most common states for recreation therapists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 163 | 22% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 326 | 17% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 496 | 16% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 164 | 16% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 969 | 15% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 849 | 15% |
| 7 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 435 | 15% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 149 | 15% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,494 | 14% |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 99 | 14% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,084 | 13% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 996 | 13% |
| 13 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 771 | 13% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 638 | 13% |
| 15 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 175 | 13% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,592 | 12% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 735 | 12% |
| 18 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 964 | 11% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 324 | 11% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 188 | 11% |
Most common cities for recreation therapists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewiston | 3 | 8% | $45,683 |
| 2 | Colleyville | 2 | 8% | $55,776 |
| 3 | Kearny | 2 | 5% | $60,279 |
| 4 | Warren | 3 | 2% | $53,856 |
| 5 | Bridgeport | 2 | 1% | $58,587 |
| 6 | Jersey City | 2 | 1% | $60,344 |
| 7 | Tampa | 2 | 1% | $46,460 |
| 8 | Phoenix | 4 | 0% | $57,931 |
| 9 | Washington | 3 | 0% | $44,646 |
| 10 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $60,554 |
| 11 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $48,376 |
| 12 | Fort Worth | 2 | 0% | $55,820 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $95,572 |
| 14 | New York | 2 | 0% | $62,461 |
| 15 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $90,724 |
Recreation Therapist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of recreation therapist experts
University of Toledo
Meredith College
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Springfield College
Jackson State University
Utah State University
American Massage Therapy Association
Montclair State University
West Texas A&M University
FSMTB - Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
Angelo State University
The University of Texas
Antioch University
Agnes Scott College
Holly Eichner Ph.D.
Program DirectorUniversity of Toledo
Rehabilitation And Therapeutic Professions
What general advice would you give to a Recreation Therapist?
Holly Eichner Ph.D.: In the field of Recreational Therapy, diversity, creativity, and flexibility are essential. When working in healthcare and helping professions individuals need to remember we are working with people who are more than their diagnosis, they come to us with a variety of life experiences. Increasing your awareness of how the social determinants of health impact health outcomes can help you negotiate barriers that could inhibit the healing process.
What Recreation Therapist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Holly Eichner Ph.D.: Do not be afraid to negotiate and do your research. Understand the market and the area you are applying to as well as what other Recreational Therapists are making. Some employers pay better than others, so if salary is important seek out those areas of practice. Also ask about the growth potential of the position. Many healthcare systems offer step increases or raises as well as a variety of benefits that you should consider in your decision.
What will help Recreation Therapists increase their earning potential?
Holly Eichner Ph.D.: Do not be afraid to negotiate and do your research. Understand the market and the area you are applying to as well as what other Recreational Therapists are making. Some employers pay better than others, so if salary is important seek out those areas of practice. Also ask about the growth potential of the position. Many healthcare systems offer step increases or raises as well as a variety of benefits that you should consider in your decision.
What skills stand out on Recreation Therapist resumes?
Chelsea Waddelow: I expect all of the basic proficiencies required by the Certification Board as a bare minimum. Musically, I like to see an area of specialization that will make you stand out. For clinical skills, the ability to produce accurate, thorough, and professional documentation in a very short amount of time is a top priority. Non-musical or non-clinical skills that I would look for include knowledge of a second language, especially ASL or the second language most commonly used in the job area, multicultural awareness and sensitivity, and excellent attention to detail.
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Human FactorsUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Psychology Department
What skills stand out on Recreation Therapist resumes?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Strong analytical skills are a must. This includes both logic and reasoning skills, but also data analysis skills. For many jobs, the ability to collect and scientifically evaluate data will be vital, if not an absolute necessity. Similarly, a strong understanding of experimental methods can put a candidate in a great position to be able to help a company evaluate existing programs and chart a path forward for new ones. Finally, I would say that a strong ability to write is critical. Those graduates who are able to effectively and persuasively communicate in writing are setting themselves up for success at any company and allowing the company to leverage them for increasingly important tasks.
What soft skills should all Recreation Therapists possess?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Students need to be able to read individual and group dynamics in order to act appropriately in any given situation. This includes not only the interactions with one's bosses but also peers and subordinates. Similarly, being comfortable with networking can help any company, but networking skills shine through in interviews.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Recreation Therapists?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Technical skills like the ability to perform statistical analyses are critically important for most Psychology-related jobs. This allows a candidate to collect and analyze data but also to interpret and understand other existing data. A strong statistical background can also help set a candidate apart from their peers in the application process. This includes understanding when and how to use various parametric and nonparametric statistics to be able to answer questions regardless of the data one is working with.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Recreation Therapists to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth Morgan Ph.D.: One potential outcome of the pandemic is that place may matter less as jobs are created and sustained with remote work environments. For example, it might be possible to participate in education endeavors, community mental health, human services in general, or consulting remotely, which render geography less important.
In addition, there will likely be changes in the types of jobs available to graduates in Psychology as employers are rethinking employee productivity in the wake of the coronavirus and need human resources specialists or industrial/organizational psychologists to consult on organizational change. Individuals with training and experience in delivering services remotely may find themselves able to secure some of these new positions; recent graduates will have a leg up in that regard, since they experienced training in a remote environment.
How do you envision technology impacting Recreation Therapists in the next 5 years?
Elizabeth Morgan Ph.D.: The forced use of technology to connect with others during the pandemic will likely encourage lasting change in education, counseling and human services, business and marketing endeavors, research, and other areas where graduates in psychology end up. This will create shifts in what the jobs look like, what training is needed, and even perhaps, the mental health and well-being of workers in general. As these technological changes are introduced, new graduates will need to learn and embrace them to keep up with the trends, as well as evaluate their effectiveness.
What experience really stands out on Recreation Therapist resumes?
Carlos Wilson Ph.D.: Typically, our students come in with a wealth of experience. Some have been in their careers for years and are looking to advance to a management level position. Their work experience shows them being well qualified. I think what does stand out on the resume is their earning of a degree. Being that the degree is in interdisciplinary studies, making sure to choose a concentration or emphasis in the career discipline students are seeking, and sharing their coursework on their resume is a great way to highlight students' preparation.
Sonia Manuel-Dupont Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUtah State University
Department of Speech-Language Pathology
What experience really stands out on Recreation Therapist resumes?
Sonia Manuel-Dupont Ph.D.: When I review resumes, I look for life skills and transferable skills. These include skills that emerge from leadership positions, interdisciplinary teamwork, work with individuals and communities who are ethnically and linguistically different from the applicant, and extended practice with technical and professional communication.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Recreation Therapists in the next 3-5 years?
Sonia Manuel-Dupont Ph.D.: Telehealth and teletherapy. Building meaningful relationships and providing top quality intervention through telehealth and teletherapy is already becoming an essential skill for new graduates.
What general advice would you give to a Recreation Therapist?
Ron Precht: Generally, metropolitan areas have had more openings for massage therapists. This is a report from the end of 2019 that has the most recent data we have available. Report
What type of skills will young Recreation Therapists need?
Lyndal Khaw Ph.D.: Most of our graduates in the field of Family Science and Human Development are in this field because they want to help professions that work with children, individuals, and families. Thus, there are several skills they should have when they graduate and enter the workforce. First, they need to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. If you want to work with people, that is an absolute given.
Second, students should demonstrate their ability to adapt to new challenges and changes, including technology skills. When working with children and families, the natural ebbs and flows of family life, across the life course, necessitate flexible professionals and who can still be useful under changing circumstances. Third, skills make you stand out in working with people, like conflict management and leadership skills. Employers want to see that graduates are not only "book smart" but have the experience to use these skills when needed on the job.
What experience really stands out on Recreation Therapist resumes?
Dr. Brenda Cross: Volunteering and job shadowing are often seen as a positive on a resume. We are also always looking for students who have experience working with children or adults, as they tend to have developed skills that are useful in the clinic.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Recreation Therapists in the next 3-5 years?
Debra Persinger Ph.D.: -Simplified technology for the not-so-tech-savvy employees will be necessary to accommodate the span of generational employee demographics engaging in remote work.
-Employees will need to be adaptable - to learn and accommodate the rapid introduction of new and better technological efficiency tools.
-Controls will increase. Much like parental controls to monitor online activity, company restrictions will be implemented to prevent inappropriate online behaviors, accidental sharing, and training on basic etiquette and interpersonal communications.
-Technology that supports work and life activities - order groceries online, stress reduction apps - will demand.
-Time away from the screen will be necessary. Seems counterintuitive for a technology question. For example, I'm predicting that paper books will make a comeback - nobody wants to look at another screen for pleasure reading after working online all day.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Recreation Therapists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Cheryl Stenmark Ph.D.: First, I think technology, in general, is going to become increasingly important across all jobs in the next few years. I believe organizations will continue to conduct business remotely and electronically in the future, so it will be essential for job seekers to be comfortable with the technology (software and hardware) necessary for these small work tasks. Additionally, job seekers will want to be satisfied with multiple small task platforms, rather than choosing a favorite and only using that one. There are so many options right now for videoconferencing and other web meeting/streaming activities, and the number of options available will likely only increase in the future. So it will be essential to be flexible in one's comfort with/use of such platforms.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Recreation Therapists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Cheryl Stenmark Ph.D.: I believe that there will be an increase in demand for graduates in the field of Industrial/Organizational Psychology in the next five years. The pandemic has highlighted so many essential work areas that I/O Psychologists can help organizations optimize. For example, I/O psychologists can help remote employees determine what type of work setup works best to stay happy and productive in work and life.
This could include how to structure their physical work environment at home, structure their work time vs. home time, and stay emotionally connected with their organization and colleagues, despite not being physically at work. I/O Psychologists can also help organizations who are considering moving to a more remote workforce to design the work in such a way as to keep their employees motivated, productive, and happy. With all of the changes in the world of work that have happened this year, which are sure to continue in the future, I/O Psychologists will be invaluable resources for organizations to navigate these uncertain times and adapt to stay productive.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Recreation Therapists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Eva Moya Ph.D.: Absolutely. Social Workers are well-positioned to work in multiple sectors at the local, state, national, and international levels. From health care, gerontology, safety net, mental health and substance abuse, child and family, education, immigration, and criminal justice sectors.
Employment is usually based on the market, economics, needs, and value of social work. The place does matter.
Social workers are in schools, courts, hospitals, community-based organizations, federally qualified health centers, mental health clinics, shelters, transitional living facilities, detention facilities, academic settings, prisons, industry, political arena, palliative care, hospice, research, international organizations, immigrant and migrant centers, elderly care facilities, protective services, the child welfare system, counseling centers, health and human service organizations, environmental and public health venues.
Dr. Erica Holmes
Associate Program ChairAntioch University
Psychological Trauma Studies Specialization
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Recreation Therapists?
Dr. Erica Holmes: It is difficult to guess what the future holds and what the long-term impact of a global pandemic might be for psychology graduates. We have certainly experienced many academic and training challenges that arise during this time. For example, many summer graduate students had to complete their remaining courses, graduate thesis, defend their dissertations, analyze research results, etc. using video conference technology, and adapt in-person therapy skills to continue seeing clients using teletherapy platforms.
I am sure that there will be an enduring impact of transitioning into the world of therapy during a global pandemic, and I'd like to think that the impact will include both positive and negative elements. Some positive elements may be increased resilience and flexibility, broader thinking about career paths and professional roles, along with the development of new skills and techniques to use with their clients, and increased access to mental health services.
How do you envision technology impacting Recreation Therapists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Erica Holmes: The COVID19 crisis thrust many therapists into the world of telehealth. Many of whom, never imagined working with mental health clients over video-conferencing, and a large number were vehemently opposed to the idea. However, as the old saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention." With no other option, mental health practitioners and their governing licensing boards have been forced to move from the standard face-to-face delivery model to technology-based platforms, to continue providing much-needed services to their clients.
This has necessitated the development of HIPPA compliant software, adoption of new ethics and legal codes to protect client welfare, and a myriad of new protocols. I doubt that our field will ever completely return to operating the way we were trained, prior to the pandemic. I believe that our field will continue to have increased integration of technology in our standard operations to a much greater degree than any of us could have imagined at the beginning of this year. I foresee the use of teletherapy; electronic session note keeping, automated scheduling, using text messaging to communicate with clients, etc. will become standard practice over the next five years.
Jennifer Hughes Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Psychology Associate Editor, Psi Chi Journal of Psychological ResearchAgnes Scott College
Department of Psychology
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Recreation Therapists to find work opportunities?
Jennifer Hughes Ph.D.: Many of our psychology graduates go to graduate school, but those that do not, work for mental health facilities, not-for-profits, education, business consulting, etc. The pandemic is producing a mental health crisis in the United States, and those with psychology backgrounds will be needed more than ever.