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Job outlook for therapeutic recreation leaders in the United States
Are therapeutic recreation leader jobs in demand?
Therapeutic recreation leader job and salary trends over time
Therapeutic recreation leader jobs over time
Therapeutic recreation leader job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 180 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 222 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 245 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 242 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 241 | 0.00% |
Average therapeutic recreation leader salary over time
Therapeutic recreation leader salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,910 | $15.82 | +7.9% |
| 2025 | $30,491 | $14.66 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $28,998 | $13.94 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $28,397 | $13.65 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $27,621 | $13.28 | +2.4% |
Therapeutic recreation leader jobs by state
Most common states for therapeutic recreation leaders
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 229 | 33% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,365 | 20% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 261 | 19% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 142 | 19% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 136 | 18% |
| 6 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 225 | 17% |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 261 | 14% |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,623 | 13% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 526 | 13% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 141 | 13% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 112 | 13% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 924 | 12% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 132 | 12% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,819 | 9% |
| 15 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 169 | 4% |
| 16 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 124 | 4% |
| 17 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 106 | 4% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 25 | 4% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 165 | 3% |
| 20 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 159 | 3% |
Most common cities for therapeutic recreation leaders
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henderson | 1 | 3% | $21,857 |
| 2 | Westminster | 1 | 1% | $32,436 |
| 3 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $25,207 |
Therapeutic Recreation Leader job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of therapeutic recreation leader experts
University of New Hampshire
California State University - Sacramento
Temple University
University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
Eastern Kentucky University
Shepherd University
Central Michigan University
Clemson University
Kent State University
University of Minnesota
Springfield College
Bethel University
Ohio University
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University
What Therapeutic Recreation Leader skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Matthew Frye M.S., CTRS/L: The role of recreation is shifting toward public health and community wellness across the lifespan. Recreation professionals need to become better acquainted with the wants and needs of older adults, community members with disabilities, and other traditionally underrepresented groups.
Dr. Jamie Hoffman CTRS
Chair, ProfessorCalifornia State University - Sacramento
Leisure And Recreational Activities
What Therapeutic Recreation Leader skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jamie Hoffman CTRS: Recreation Managers typically walk the walk and talk the talk. With that said, they are advocates for health, wellness and experiences. This includes protecting and preserving natural environments, providing accessible and inclusive experiences and serving individuals of all backgrounds, ages and abilities. Depending on the agency one works for, this may prevent or promote the ability of the Recreation Manager to navigate bureaucracy and or other challenges related to funding, deficits in assets, equipment or spaces. Whether the Recreation Manager is working in a government agency, non-profit organization or for profit business, each environment poses its own challenges. Having consistent professional training and development opportunities as well as cost effective avenues for education, some barriers exist to continue to grow and develop in ones career. When discussion a Recreation Managers likes of their job the list is lengthy. Having the opportunity to work in many diverse environments: hostels, arenas, parks & recreation organizations, non-profits, athletic gyms and clubs, sports facilities …etc., this creates endless spaces and places for one to work. In addition to environments, the populations one may have the opportunity to work with are also very diverse. Recreation Managers work with individuals from the crib to the crypt including tot program, youth sports, teen centers, co-ed adult sports, senior centers etc. As far as abilities, one can work with individuals with neurodiversity, physical disabilities, addiction..etc. In addition, the Recreation Manager has the potential to work with and impact individuals from diverse cultures. This broad scope of practice is an attractive aspect of working as a Recreation Manager. Having the opportunity to increase the quality of life of individuals is a tremendous component of job satisfaction. Recreation Managers strive to maintain life balance and develop healthy lifestyle choices. Having the opportunity to have your work be fun and enjoyable is a choice but also an honor.
Daniel Funk Ph.D.
Professor and Ed Rosen Senior Research FellowTemple University
Parks, Recreation, And Leisure Facilities Management
What will help Therapeutic Recreation Leaders increase their earning potential?
Daniel Funk Ph.D.: When beginning a career in P&R, a professional should be willing to seek out opportunities within an organization (to gain diverse skills and competencies across functional areas) and willing to move geographically to similar organizations. It will also be beneficial to join national, state, and regional organizations like National Recreation and Parks Association, National Intramural Recreational Sports Association, and American Therapeutic Recreation Association. Attempt to attend their conferences to keep up with current trends and network.
Robert Barcelona Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate ProfessorUniversity of New Hampshire
Department of Recreation Management & Policy
What soft skills should all Therapeutic Recreation Leaders possess?
Robert Barcelona Ph.D.: Collaboration is a really important soft skill - having the ability to work with others to achieve common goals is such a critical skill for recreation professionals to have. Flexibility and adaptability are also important - how do you manage when things don't go according to plan or when you have to improvise? Creativity and outside-the-box thinking are really important, especially in the age of COVID-19. Look at the creative programs and events that have emerged during the pandemic - virtual 5K races and fitness classes, online instructional programs, self-guided nature programs, do-it-yourself summer camp - and many, many others. Finally, understanding the value of diversity and inclusion is critical today - recreation is for everyone, so professionals need to understand how to increase access and reduce barriers to recreation participation for the entire community.
Jayson Seaman
Associate Professor of Outdoor Leadership and ManagementUniversity of New Hampshire
Department of Recreation Management and Policy
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Therapeutic Recreation Leader job market given the pandemic?
Jayson Seaman: I anticipate strong employment following the pandemic in both outdoor recreation and education sectors. People have rediscovered the outdoors as an important resource for leisure and wellness, and communities with lots of outdoor amenities are thriving. There will be many opportunities to manage and serve outdoor users in the future both directly and indirectly. Additionally, families and parents have also relished the opportunity during the pandemic to enroll their kids in outdoor activities. What service providers have managed to stay open have experienced a surge of interest, with so few other opportunities for kids to stay healthy, active, and connected to peers. We're even seeing bipartisan interest among legislators to support outdoor education and recreation in and out of schools going forward.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Therapeutic Recreation Leaders?
Jayson Seaman: I am on the outdoor leadership side of the field where wilderness medical training is important as are other activity- or discipline-specific certifications from groups like the American Canoe Association (paddlesports) and the American Mountain Guides Association (alpine and rock climbing). Job candidates should be sure to pursue certification through reputable, national bodies and associations.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Therapeutic Recreation Leaders?
Michael Ferguson Ph.D.: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact upon outdoor recreation both in the United States and worldwide. In the decades leading up to the pandemic, outdoor recreation visitation had consistently and incrementally increased across local, state, and federal parks and protected areas. Adding fuel to this visitation fire, the pandemic has caused dramatic and abrupt increases in visitation across an already overwhelmed parks and protected areas system. This explosion in interest in parks and protected areas has created both benefits and challenges for the visitors, communities, stakeholder, and managers who are dependent upon the outdoor recreation industry. Moreover, the pandemic has open myriad opportunities for students graduating with a degree in Recreation Management and Policy. Now more than ever, parks and protected areas at the local, state, federal, private, and non-profit levels are demanding an educated and skilled workforce to manage and protect these resources while simultaneously providing high-quality outdoor recreation experiences.
Dr. Brian G. Clark
Assistant ProfessorEastern Kentucky University
Department of Recreation & Park Administration
What will help Therapeutic Recreation Leaders increase their earning potential?
Dr. Brian G. Clark: Continuing to further your education is always an excellent way to increase your earning potential in any field. Separating yourself from other candidates by obtaining an undergraduate and/or graduate degree is going to go a long way in our current competitive job market. Another area is gaining certifications and professional trainings. There are so many different certifications and trainings for recreation practitioners, and this will increase your job opportunities as well as your earning potential. I recommend looking for the job you want and setting yourself up by meeting the preferred qualifications not just the required or minimum qualifications.
What's a good job out of college for Therapeutic Recreation Leaders?
Dr. Brian G. Clark: There are so many jobs within the recreation and park profession. Recreation, Parks and Tourism is the largest industry in the world! You can work for state and local parks, YMCA, federal parks and land management agencies, outdoor retailer stores, local guides and outfitters, university programs, wounded warriors, Special Olympics, and even the military with the (MWR) morale, welfare and recreation. All of these areas provide numerous jobs and positions with great benefits and really the opportunity to transform the lives of the people in your communities. Parks and Recreation professionals are health care providers. We are even seeing physicians starting to prescribe physical activity in park settings to their patients.
Dr. Stacey Kendig
Director and Associate ProfessorShepherd University
School of Recreation, Sport and Exercise Science
What technical skills for a Therapeutic Recreation Leader stand out to employers?
Dr. Stacey Kendig: Most definitely one of the technical skills that employers are looking for in a college graduate is their computer/technological skill level. With the current pandemic and so many people working from home, it is critical that employees have the most current technology skills. Another technical skill that I know I would look for is communication skills; both written and oral! Again, with so much of our time being spent using technology, computers, and cell phones, it is important that graduates understand the dynamics of "professionalism" with technology. Another technical skill would be interpersonal and the ability to develop professional and positive working relationships. This has also become a challenge with the increasing use of technology and not having the face to face interaction in a professional work environment.
Robert Frost
ChairpersonCentral Michigan University
Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration
What skills stand out on Therapeutic Recreation Leader resumes?
Robert Frost: Corresponding to the new delivery formats are the accompanying skills; virtual programming, video production, social media abilities, and overall creativity and flexibility.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Therapeutic Recreation Leaders to find work opportunities?
Robert Frost: We tend to primarily follow state or regional opportunities, (Michigan and Midwest). These opportunities seem to be consistently available.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Therapeutic Recreation Leader job market given the pandemic?
Robert Frost: The pandemic has pushed program delivery into new forms. We are seeing jobs being reinvented to accommodate greater on-line/virtual delivery formats and flexibility in delivery times and scheduling. We also are seeing a growth in less clinical and more community-day program formats.
Marieke Van Puymbroeck Ph.D.
Professor, Graduate CoordinatorClemson University
Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management
What skills stand out on Therapeutic Recreation Leader resumes?
Marieke Van Puymbroeck Ph.D.: A variety of skills and certifications always set individuals apart from the crowd. In this day and age, being able to provide virtual programming, offer innovative ideas about programming, and engage people virtually are particularly important.
What experience really stands out on Therapeutic Recreation Leader resumes?
Dr. Mary Ann Devine Ph.D.: Experiences that provide opportunities to work with diverse groups within a community, particularly marginalized groups, are unique skill sets that aids in students' stand out from peers who do not have these experiences. Also, experiences that give students opportunities to develop and improve leadership, interpersonal, and writing skills, specific to the field of recreation, park, and tourism.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Therapeutic Recreation Leaders in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Clinton J. Warren: Wearable technology has been gaining prominence in the general health and fitness industry for years now. As professional and collegiate sports have found more sophisticated ways to measure athlete performance, through adopting wearable technology, the cost, and thus accessibility, for the general population has grown. I would expect this trend to continue. It has been suggested that the pandemic may be a catalyst for growth in virtual or augmented reality in the health, fitness, and recreation industry, but a real move toward this is likely further than five years down the line.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Therapeutic Recreation Leaders in the next 3-5 years?
Ariel Rodríguez Ph.D., CPRP: The recreation management profession prides itself in providing quality recreation services, safe spaces, and creating opportunities for memorable human interactions. It is likely that technologies that help to mitigate challenges to this will be more important and prevalent. For instance, we have seen an increase in disease and illness over the past few years, not just related to Covid-19 but also connected with service men and women returning from combat with seen and unseen disabilities. Technologies that will help individuals get back to the recreational activities they loved or try new recreational activities will continue to be prevalent in the future.
It is likely that we will also continue to see efforts to connect online technologies with recreation programming and special events. For instance, we have seen demand for export programming increase over the years. Covid-19 seems to have perpetuated this need as there is an increased need for individuals to stay in confined spaces, and gaming stigmas have dramatically decreased in recent years. With new gaming technologies, such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, being currently launched, it is likely they will play a role in the provision of recreation services by professionals for years to come.
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What soft skills should all Therapeutic Recreation Leaders possess?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: With the rapid rate of change, accelerating information turnover, and boundless access to knowledge, certain new soft skills may now be prioritized in our current society. So we all have to be learners, seeking new information, anticipating that we will need to change our mind, and striving for a disposition of curiosity. The specific skill of asking good questions cannot be underestimated.
Employers may be seeking skills like imaginative bridging, humbly and curiously connecting dots. Or the skills of facilitation and curation, with so many different perspectives and lived experiences, and an overabundance of information, an educational leader, must manage people, perspectives, and content like never before.
Employers are looking for skills that relate to not only the day-to-day tactical aspects of educational leadership but also imaginative problem-solving for a thriving future.
What skills will help Therapeutic Recreation Leaders earn the most?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: For educational leaders, I'm not convinced discrete skills equate to salary. Working hard and working well with others, with a disposition of humility and curiosity, is really powerful. Perhaps the combination of soft and hard skills gained through diverse experiences, positions, and institutional contexts results in the highest earning potential.
Katherine Jordan Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorOhio University
Department of Recreation and Sport Pedagogy
How do you envision technology impacting Therapeutic Recreation Leaders in the next 5 years?
Katherine Jordan Ph.D.: Over the past few years, we've already seen incredibly creative and exciting ways that technology has been used in our field. Researchers and practitioners alike use virtual and augmented reality to create recreational experiences for users. Drones have been used to help survey lands, create maps, enhance marketing materials, and have even become sources of recreation as well. These are two kinds of technologies that will continue to advance and, undoubtedly, have an impact on this field.
Another form of technology that we don't always think of related to recreational equipment, gear, and clothing. Take adaptive recreation, for instance. We currently live in a time during which individuals with various disabilities are participating in organized sports and adventure recreation, as well as various recreational habits that are done more so as individuals or small groups of friends, like cycling on a bike path. Technological advances have helped the recreation field grow more inclusive to people of all abilities. This will only continue to advance in the coming years and, I believe, this is an area where we will see rapid growth in the future.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we've also seen an increase in virtual programming. Of course, there are people who are unable to participate in virtual programming, due to a variety of reasons, but this is something that will continue in the coming years. Virtual programming can increase participation in recreational and leisure pursuits, as well as enhance community engagement. In the years to come, I imagine this kind of programming will continue and with time, I believe, we will be able to reach a more broad and diverse population.
Dr. Jon McChesney
Department Chair & Graduate CoordinatorEastern Kentucky University
Department of Recreation & Park Administration
What type of skills will young Therapeutic Recreation Leaders need?
Dr. Jon McChesney: Recreation is at the core of a social profession, thus demanding the need for social intelligence and a relationship orientation for graduates. The need for connection is perhaps greater than at any time in our history, given the loneliness epidemic, the increase in depression, and suicide. Professionals need to be mindful of the issues facing our country and demonstrate sensitivity and appreciation for diversity and cultural agility. Creativity, innovation, and adaptability to change will continue to be important as recreation is forced to evolve in a Covid-19 world and beyond.
Dr. Jon McChesney
Department Chair & Graduate CoordinatorEastern Kentucky University
Department of Recreation & Park Administration
What type of skills will young Therapeutic Recreation Leaders need?
Dr. Jon McChesney: Recreation is at the core of a social profession, thus demanding the need for social intelligence and a relationship orientation for graduates. The need for connection is perhaps greater than at any time in our history, given the loneliness epidemic, the increase in depression, and suicide. Professionals need to be mindful of the issues facing our country and demonstrate sensitivity and appreciation for diversity and cultural agility. Creativity, innovation, and adaptability to change will continue to be important as recreation is forced to evolve in a Covid-19 world and beyond.