Recreational Therapists
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.
Work Environment: Recreational therapists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and government parks and recreation departments. Most therapists work full time.
How to Become One: Recreational therapists typically need a bachelor’s degree. Many employers require therapists to be certified.
Salary: The median annual wage for recreational therapists is $47,940.
Job Outlook: Employment of recreational therapists is projected to grow 4 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of recreational therapists with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a recreational therapist with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Recreational Therapist Jobs
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Local Contract Recreation/Recreational Therapist - $58 per hour
- Staff Today
- San Luis Obispo, CA
... Recreational Therapist for a local contract job in San Luis Obispo, California. Job Description & Requirements * Specialty: Recreation / Recreational Therapist * Discipline: Therapy * Duration: 13 ...
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Recreation/Recreational Therapist - $28-40 per hour
- Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital
- Lake Stevens, WA
Staff JOIN OUR TEAM AS A RECREATIONAL THERAPIST ! Your Work Matters How will you make a difference? Join our dynamic team at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital and make a difference as a Recreational ...
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Recreation Therapist
- Minds in Motion Initiative
- Salem, OR
Position Title: Recreation Therapist PI8bc082b03284-25448-35725358
What Recreational Therapists Do[About this section] [To Top]
Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. These therapists use a variety of modalities, including arts and crafts; drama, music, and dance; sports and games; aquatics; and community outings to help maintain or improve a patient's physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Duties of Recreational Therapists
Recreational therapists typically do the following:
- Assess patients' needs using observation, medical records, tests, and discussions with other healthcare professionals, patients' families, and patients
- Develop treatment plans and programs that meet patients' needs and interests
- Plan and implement interventions to support the client in meeting his or her goals
- Engage patients in therapeutic activities, such as exercise, games, and community outings
- Help patients learn social skills needed to become or remain independent
- Teach patients about ways to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression
- Document and analyze a patient's progress
- Evaluate interventions for effectiveness
Recreational therapists help people reduce depression, stress, and anxiety; recover basic physical and mental abilities; build confidence; and socialize effectively.
They use interventions, such as arts and crafts, dance, or sports, to help their patients. For example, a recreational therapist can help a patient who is paralyzed on one side of his or her body by teaching patients to adapt activities, such as casting a fishing rod or swinging a golf club, by using his or her functional side.
Therapists often treat specific groups of patients, such as children with cancer. Therapists may use activities such as kayaking or a ropes course to teach patients to stay active and to form social relationships.
Recreational therapists help people with disabilities integrate into the community by teaching them how to use community resources and recreational activities. For example, therapists may teach a patient who uses a wheelchair how to use public transportation.
Therapists may also provide interventions for patients who need help developing social and coping skills. For example, a therapist may use a therapy dog to help patients manage their depression or anxiety.
Therapists may work with physicians or surgeons, registered nurses, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, teachers, or occupational therapists. Recreational therapists are different from recreation workers, who organize recreational activities primarily for enjoyment.
Work Environment for Recreational Therapists[About this section] [To Top]
Recreational therapists hold about 17,600 jobs. The largest employers of recreational therapists are as follows:
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 40% |
| Government | 18% |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | 14% |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 8% |
| Social assistance | 7% |
They use offices for planning or other administrative activities, such as patient assessment, but may travel when working with patients. Therapy may be provided in a clinical setting or out in a community. For example, therapists may take their patients to community recreation centers or parks for sports and other outdoor activities.
Some therapists may spend a lot of time on their feet actively working with patients. They may also need to physically assist patients or lift heavy objects such as wheelchairs.
Recreational Therapist Work Schedules
Most recreational therapists work full time. Some recreational therapists work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their patients.
How to Become a Recreational Therapist[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Recreational Therapists near you!
Recreational therapists typically need a bachelor's degree. Many employers require therapists to be certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).
Education for Recreational Therapists
Recreational therapists typically need a bachelor's degree, usually in recreational therapy or a related field such as recreation and leisure studies.
Recreational therapy programs include courses in assessment, human anatomy, medical and psychiatric terminology, characteristics of illnesses and disabilities, and the use of assistive devices and technology. Bachelor's degree programs usually include an internship.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Recreational Therapists
Most employers prefer to hire certified recreational therapists. The NCTRC offers the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential. Candidates may qualify for certification through one of three pathways. The first option requires a bachelor's degree in recreational therapy, completion of a supervised internship of at least 560 hours, and passing an exam. The other options also require passing an exam, but allow candidates with a bachelor's degree in an unrelated subject to qualify with various combinations of education and work experience. In order to maintain certification, therapists must either pass an exam or complete work experience and continuing education requirements every 5 years.
The NCTRC also offers specialty certification in five areas of practice: behavioral health, community inclusion services, developmental disabilities, geriatrics, and physical medicine/rehabilitation. Therapists also may earn certificates from other organizations to show proficiency in specific therapy techniques, such as aquatic therapy or aromatherapy.
Only a small number of states require licensure or otherwise regulate the work of recreational therapists. For specific requirements, contact the state's medical board.
Important Qualities for Recreational Therapists
Compassion. Recreational therapists should be kind and empathetic when providing support to patients and their families. They may deal with patients who are in pain or under emotional stress.
Leadership skills. Recreational therapists must plan, develop, and implement intervention programs in an effective manner. They must be engaging and able to motivate patients to participate in a variety of therapeutic activities.
Listening skills. Recreational therapists must listen carefully to a patient's problems and concerns. They can then determine an appropriate course of treatment for that patient.
Patience. Recreational therapists may work with some patients who require more time and special attention than others.
Resourcefulness. Recreational therapists customize treatment plans for patients. They must be both creative and flexible when adapting activities or programs to each patient's needs.
Speaking skills. Recreational therapists need to communicate well with their patients. They must give clear directions during activities or instructions on healthy coping techniques.
Recreational Therapist Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for recreational therapists is $47,940. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,710, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80,610.
The median annual wages for recreational therapists in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Government | $64,780 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | $54,370 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $50,970 |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | $43,570 |
| Social assistance | $37,660 |
Most recreational therapists work full time. Some recreational therapists work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their patients.
Job Outlook for Recreational Therapists[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of recreational therapists is projected to grow 4 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 1,500 openings for recreational therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of Recreational Therapists
As large numbers of the U.S. population move into older age groups, more people will need recreational therapists to help treat age-related injuries and illnesses. Older people are more likely than younger people to experience Alzheimer’s disease, a stroke, or mobility-related injuries and to benefit from treating these conditions with recreational therapy. Therapists also will be needed to help healthy seniors remain social, active, and independent in their communities as they age.
In addition, the number of people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, is growing. Recreational therapists will be needed to help patients maintain their mobility, learn how to manage their conditions, and adjust recreational activities to accommodate physical limitations. Therapists also will be needed to plan and lead programs designed to maintain overall wellness through participation in activities such as camps, day trips, and sports.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Recreational therapists | 17,600 | 18,200 | 4 | 600 |
More Recreational Therapist Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information and materials on careers and academic programs in recreational therapy, visit
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
For more information about certification, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.