# Recreational Therapists

> Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreational-therapists
- SOC code: 29-1125.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $61,960 (10th percentile $40,990, 90th percentile $100,420)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.8%
- Openings a year: 1,400
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 45 |
| Investigative (I) | 55 |
| Artistic (A) | 31 |
| Social (S) | 97 |
| Enterprising (E) | 25 |
| Conventional (C) | 28 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 97/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 87/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 86/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 83/100)
- Getting Information (importance 82/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 82/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 81/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 77/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 73/100)

## Skills

Service Orientation, Active Listening, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Psychology, Therapy and Counseling, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, English Language, Sociology and Anthropology, Administration and Management, Medicine and Dentistry, Public Safety and Security, Administrative

## Also called

Activities Coordinator, Activities Therapist, Activity Therapist, Adventure Therapist, Certified Recreational Therapist, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Creative Arts Therapist, Dance Therapist, Drama Therapist, Ecotherapist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5123) (CIP 5123, 591 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Ithaca College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ithaca-college-1313) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $76,766 | $25,000 |
| [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus-3019) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $43,925 | $75,950 | $23,307 |
| [Worcester State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/worcester-state-university-3304) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $74,386 | $25,500 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,821 | $27,000 |
| [University of New Hampshire-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-new-hampshire-main-campus-2980) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,625 | $27,000 |
| [Boston University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-university-286) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $44,945 | $72,566 | $17,110 |
| [Duquesne University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duquesne-university-839) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,059 | $26,000 |
| [Saint Louis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-louis-university-2312) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $70,351 | $23,244 |

## Related careers

- [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants): $72,300 median pay
- [Psychiatric Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-technicians): $45,130 median pay
- [Occupational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapists): $100,330 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Physical Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapists): $102,760 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.