Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Alabama make a median of $57,360 a year, or about $27.58 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $64,916 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 28.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Alabama. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $57K get you in Alabama?
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in Alabama
Recreational therapists pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 28.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,630/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is recreational therapist a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Alabama pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Alabama?
The median is $57,360 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,840, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $87,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,785/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 28.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a recreational therapists salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median recreational therapists salary is worth about $64,916 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do recreational therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.