Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Delaware make a median of $51,110 a year, or about $24.57 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $52,415 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,448/month, about 43.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $51K get you in Delaware?
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in Delaware
Pay for recreational therapists in Delaware runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,448/month, which is 42.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for recreational therapistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 42.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,558/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Delaware?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $51K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Delaware pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Delaware?
The median is $51,110 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,640, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $76,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,404/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 42.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a recreational therapists salary go in Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $52,415 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.