← All occupations
SOC 29-1125·Healthcare Practitioners & TechnicalOpportunity job
Recreational Therapists
Median wage
$65,242
10-yr outlook
+24.5%by 2032
Openings / year
180
Workers in NY
1,310
How pay grows with experience
Recreational Therapists — typical pay by experience
Annual wages statewide: starting out, typical (median), and experienced.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting out (entry) | $51,842 |
| Median (typical) | $65,242 |
| Experienced | $76,183 |
Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (NYSDOL / U.S. BLS via data.ny.gov)
Where it pays most across New York
Median pay for this occupation by region. Select a region for its full profile.
Recreational Therapists — median pay by region
Regional median annual wage, highest first.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Western New York | $69,866 |
| Southern Tier | $69,080 |
| Hudson Valley | $65,626 |
| Long Island | $65,605 |
| New York City | $65,422 |
| Central New York | $62,611 |
| Capital Region | $61,370 |
| Finger Lakes | $59,930 |
| North Country | $59,820 |
| Mohawk Valley | $57,892 |
Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (NYSDOL / U.S. BLS via data.ny.gov)
A realistic next step
Higher-paying roles in the same field
These occupations are in the same broad field (Healthcare Practitioners & Technical) and pay more than a Recreational Therapists. It's a transparent “same field, higher pay” guide — not a skills-match score.
- Athletic Trainers$65,581 median (+$339) · +19.0% by 2032
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,771 median (+$529) · +24.1% by 2032
- Paramedics$68,223 median (+$2,981)
- Therapists, All Other$69,712 median (+$4,470) · +13.2% by 2032
- Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$76,933 median (+$11,690)
- Surgical Technologists$77,299 median (+$12,057) · +27.3% by 2032
Find jobs & training
Live openings and training are run by the State and federal partners — we link you straight there.