Recreational Therapists Salary in CA
In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Recreational Therapists in CA have a median annual salary of $98,170, with 1,920 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $60,940 at the 10th percentile to $115,370 at the 90th percentile.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22
Salary overview
Median annual salary
$98,170
Data year: 2025
Hourly median
$47.20
Employment
1,920
Source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS
Salary distribution
$60,940
10th
$79,820
25th
$98,170
Median
$107,830
75th
$115,370
90th
Local compared with national
CA
$98,170
Median annual · 2025
United States
$61,960
Median annual · 2025
The CA median is 58.4% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $36,210).
Top skills
- 1.Service OrientationImportance 4.1
- 2.Active ListeningImportance 4.0
- 3.SpeakingImportance 4.0
- 4.Social PerceptivenessImportance 4.0
- 5.CoordinationImportance 4.0
- 6.Reading ComprehensionImportance 3.9
- 7.WritingImportance 3.9
- 8.Critical ThinkingImportance 3.9
- 9.InstructingImportance 3.9
- 10.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.5
- 11.Active LearningImportance 3.4
- 12.Learning StrategiesImportance 3.4
Career information
Education and experience
- Typical education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Experience
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
- Job zone
- 4
Technology used
- Avid Technology Sibelius
- Email software
- Hyperscore
- MakeMusic Finale
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Musical instrument digital interface MIDI software
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- Speech recognition software
- Steinberg Cubase Pro
- Web browser software
Common tasks
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
- Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
- Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
- Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
- Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
- Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
Related careers
Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.
Recreational Therapists salary in other locations
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Stockton, CAMedian $115,330
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Vallejo, CAMedian $115,330
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Napa, CAMedian $107,810
- Recreational Therapists Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $102,420
- Recreational Therapists Salary in San Jose, CAMedian $101,670
- Recreational Therapists Salary in San Diego, CAMedian $98,530
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Fresno, CAMedian $98,160
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Riverside, CAMedian $98,120
- Recreational Therapists Salary in DCMedian $95,640
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Sacramento, CAMedian $91,790
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $91,740
- Recreational Therapists Salary in Seattle, WAMedian $82,660
Other occupations in CA
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric Salary in CAMedian $400,150
- Neurologists Salary in CAMedian $357,080
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in CAMedian $353,900
- Psychiatrists Salary in CAMedian $353,500
- General Internal Medicine Physicians Salary in CAMedian $313,890
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists Salary in CAMedian $301,240
- Nurse Anesthetists Salary in CAMedian $292,410
- Allergists and Immunologists Salary in CAMedian $281,590
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians Salary in CAMedian $281,590
- Preventive Medicine Physicians Salary in CAMedian $281,590
- Hospitalists Salary in CAMedian $281,590
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in CAMedian $281,590