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< surveys
started February 1997 - this survey is closed to new responses

Responses: Salary Scale of Recreation Therapists


Responses: 56

This is by no means a scientific survey. Results of the February 1997 Salary Survey is given below:

Out of the 56 responses.....

Certified persons who make over $24,000.

  • A) Those with BA-26 people
  • B) Those with Masters (or more)-12 people

Non-certified persons who make over $24,000.

  • A) Those with BA-8 people out of 9

This is helpful information to start with. (That was 46 people out of the 56 responses who make over $24,000.) There were 26 people out of the total 56 that make $30,000 and above.

Also, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook survey by NTRS the average salary for RT in 1994 was $31,472 and in the Federal Government in 1995 was $35,954.

Information in this box was compiled by Kami Simpson,CTRS.

1)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Therapeutic Recreational Asst.
  • years at work: na
  • degree: none
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Florida
  • size of city: 53,000
  • salary: 7.50 hourly
2)
  • certified: no
  • job title: therapeutic recreation specialist
  • years at work: 4
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: PR
  • size of city: 20000
  • salary: $900 monthly
3)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Male
  • job title: recreation therapist
  • years at work: 4
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: wyoming
  • size of city: 50,000
  • salary: 33,100
4)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Therapist 3, Recreational
  • years at work: 13
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: WI
  • size of city: 100,000
  • salary: 18.52/hour
5)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: recreation therapist
  • years at work: 1
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: group home
  • other: school
  • state: ny
  • salary: 28,000
6)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: assistant professor
  • years at work: 12
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: college/university
  • state: NH
  • salary: 35,000
7)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Activity Therapist
  • years at work: 9
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: Mi
  • size of city: 130,000
  • salary: 16.20/hr
8)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Director of Recreation
  • years at work: 1
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: Pa
  • size of city: ?
  • salary: 28,000
  • comments: I am currently seeking NCCAP Certification have been out of work force for a number of years previously worked in a Senior Center and for the City Parks and Rec pre certification requirements
9)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 10
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: CA
  • size of city: Los Angeles
  • salary: 44,450/yr
  • comments: I am a recreation therapist certified by my state. (RTC). I work on two units. Rehab and a transitional care unit.
10)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Assistant Professor
  • years at work: 10
  • degree: doctoral degree
  • agency: college/university
  • state: Wisconsin
  • size of city: 51,000
  • salary: $35,800
11)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 2 1/2 yrs
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: Sub-acute/long term care
  • state: WA
  • size of city: large (Seattle)
  • salary: $26,500
12)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Clinical Instructor
  • years at work: 17 years
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: college/university
  • state: Maine
  • size of city: 60,000
  • salary: 35,000
  • comments: What are directors of departments making and entry level positions?
13)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: recreation therapist
  • years at work: 1
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: chemical dependency program
  • state: South Dakota
  • size of city: 700
  • salary: 7.5/hr
14)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Contract Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 7mos
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Florida
  • size of city: Large
  • salary: 38.00 per/hr
15)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: CTRS- Activities Director
  • years at work: 5
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: OK
  • size of city: OKC- Area
  • salary: 30,000
16)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Adventure Therapy Coordinator
  • years at work: 6
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: residential treatment center
  • state: Western Australia
  • size of city: 1.3 million
  • salary: A$32,500
17)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreational Therapist
  • years at work: 10
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Florida
  • salary: 32,000
18)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: recreation therapist
  • years at work: 2
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: nursing home
  • state: massachusetts
  • size of city: 26000
  • salary: $22,000
19)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Special Program Coordinator
  • years at work: 3
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: Public Recreation Commission
  • state: Ohio
  • size of city: 400,000
  • salary: $34,000
20)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: CTRS
  • years at work: 8
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Indiana
  • size of city: 25,000
  • salary: 35,000
21)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: RECREATION THERAPIST, COORDINATOR
  • years at work: 12YRS
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: sub-acute care unit/facility, HEAD INJURY REHABILITATION
  • state: NEW YORK
  • salary: 32,000 YR
22)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: CTRS II
  • years at work: 7 YEARS
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: NORTH DAKOTA
  • size of city: 16000
  • salary: 25000
  • comments: THE SALARIES SEEM LOW FOR HAVING A FOUR YEAR DEGREE. ARE THESE SALERIES THE SAME NATION WIDE?
23)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 10
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: hospital rehab & psych
  • state: Texas
  • size of city: 30,000
  • salary: $14.94 hour
24)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: therapeutic recreation specialist
  • years at work: 5
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: ohio
  • size of city: 300,000
  • salary: 29,000
25)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: recreation therapist
  • years at work: 1
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: nursing home
  • state: NY
  • salary: 12.60 per hour
26)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 6
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Missouri
  • size of city: 3700
  • salary: 24,000
27)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Director of Expressive Ther.
  • years at work: 8
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: TX
  • size of city: several million
  • salary: 32,500
28)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreational Therapist
  • years at work: 9+
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: NJ
  • size of city: 49,000
  • salary: 33,000
29)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Director of Activities
  • years at work: 3
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: North Carolina
  • size of city: 200000
  • salary: 24,000
  • comments: Salaries in our area range from 17K - 35K depending on the agency and degree of experience.
30)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: On-call Interim Activity Director
  • years at work: 5
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: Colorado
  • size of city: 2.5 million
  • salary: $15.00/hour
31)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: senior community support worker
  • years at work: 1
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: community program
  • other: ABI community reintegration
  • state: Ontario
  • salary: 26,000
32)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 2 1/2
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Texas
  • size of city: 5,000
  • salary: $28,300
33)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 2 1/2
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Texas
  • size of city: 5,000
  • salary: $28,300
34)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: director
  • years at work: 19
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: Illinois
  • size of city: 2.75 million
  • salary: $54,311
35)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 6
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: B.C. Canada
  • size of city: 3 million
  • salary: 49,000 Canadian
36)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Activity Therapist
  • years at work: 1yr 4
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: community program
  • state: Georgia
  • size of city: small town ?
  • salary: 21,350
  • comments: Previously worked in Tn where certification was not required nor did it seem to be recognised by the state personel raters. I recieved less in salary than for positions that had much less responsibility. I don't find that to be true here in Ga. I feel that RT's in Tn. need to work with TRPA to achieve recognition for certification, perhaps then they can get better pay through the state where starting salary is about 16,500 yr.
37)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Asst. Supervisor
  • years at work: 6 yrs
  • degree: associate degree
  • agency: group home, rehab
  • state: Ill
  • size of city: 32,000
  • salary: 18,000
  • comments: I feel that the salaries in the group home settings are very poor. I feel that the employees who work in these home should get paid much more than minnium wage. The people who work in group homes are the consumer's teacher, parent, nurse and friend.
38)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Senior Therapist
  • years at work: 8
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Maryland
  • size of city: ?
  • salary: 37935.00
  • comments: Staff Therapists at this agency in Baltimore make $25,456-32,989/year
39)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Rehabilitation Therapist, Recreation
  • years at work: 9
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: sub-acute care unit/facility
  • state: California
  • size of city: It's in L.A. County, so it's big. Don't know exactly
  • salary: 3065.00 per month
  • comments: I'm a strong believer in staffing hospitals with experienced, licensed therapists who truely know what they are doing. And that includes good process skills If you're good, don't settle for a crappy salary. I've seen jobs posted offering $8.00 per hour which is a ridiculous amount of money. Look around and be picky. If all R.T.'s would demand a decent wage we would be making more in line with O.T.'s. In the psych field, there is little to no difference in what both diciplines do and we should be paid accordingly.
40)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Male
  • job title: youth activities officer
  • degree: none
  • agency: other
  • other: local council
  • state: WA
  • size of city: 20000
  • salary: 16000 (half time)
41)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: c.t.r.s.
  • years at work: 4
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: MO
  • size of city: 2million
  • salary: 27,000
42)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Director of Recreation Services
  • years at work: 6 months
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: Michigan
  • salary: $27,000
43)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Senior Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: 27
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: New York
  • size of city: 80,000
  • salary: 40,000
44)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: director therapeutic recreation
  • years at work: 2.5
  • degree: select one
  • agency: other
  • other: skilled nursing facility
  • state: CT
  • size of city: 10,000
  • salary: 36,000
45)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Director
  • years at work: 1
  • degree: none
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: Utah
  • size of city: ?
  • salary: 16,700
46)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Recreational Therapist
  • years at work: 20
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: psychiatric
  • state: Ohio
  • size of city: big
  • salary: $40k
  • comments: typical starting salaries in hospitals in Cincinnati is around $25k, less in LTC.
47)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Blind Rehab Specialist, Leisure Skills
  • years at work: 1.5
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: Georgia
  • salary: 30,000 GS 7-11
  • comments: I feel it time for equal pay across the boards. RT's, PT's, and OT's should all recieve the same pay!!! I am very fortunate where I work for the pay I recieve it is equal with all of the rehab staff.
48)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: recreational therapist
  • years at work: 2
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: chemical dependency program
  • state: georgia
  • size of city: 250,000
  • salary: 27,000
49)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Therapy Director
  • years at work: 11
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: residential treatment center
  • state: Georgia
  • size of city: 25,000
  • salary: 38,000
50)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Recreation Therapist
  • years at work: <1
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: rehab
  • state: maryland
  • size of city: 700,000
  • salary: 26,200
51)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Male
  • job title: Therapeutic Recreation Director-Assistant
  • years at work: 2months
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: PA
  • salary: 25,000
  • comments: Ask for what you deserve and do not be shy in promoting yourself as a credible health professional.
52)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Director of Activities
  • years at work: 5
  • degree: none
  • agency: long-term-care facility
  • state: california
  • size of city: 40,000
  • salary: $1600.00 per month
  • comments: In the state of California, and Activity Director must be certified by taking a 48 hr. course in gerontology. No other certificate or license is required at this time.
53)
  • certified: no
  • sex: Female
  • job title: student in TR
  • years at work: 5 years of school
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: other
  • other: student
  • state: wisconsin
  • size of city: 51000
  • salary: none
  • comments: I think that they should be more. More and more people are going back to school to get their masters or phd and they should be able to get any job they want. But some agencies won't hire them becuase they could hire people for less. It is WRONG!!!
54)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: activity therapy coordinator
  • years at work: 15
  • degree: master's degree
  • agency: psychiatric, community hospital
  • state: ohio
  • size of city: 150,000
  • salary: 37,000
  • comments: are your salaries based on experience and education or the average salaries of other r.t.'s in your area?
55)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
  • years at work: 11
  • degree: doctoral degree
  • agency: college/university
  • state: GA
  • size of city: 20000
  • salary: 40000
56)
  • certified: yes
  • sex: Female
  • job title: Recreation Specialist
  • degree: bachelor's degree
  • agency: community program
  • state: UTAH
  • salary: 15,000
  • comments: Don't try looking for a job in Utah Valley. This place is saturated with TR grads. People are desperate for work. Companies and agencies can get away with paying a pittance.

 

 

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