Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Florida make a median of $57,980 a year, or about $27.87 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $58,815 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 41.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Florida?
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in Florida
Recreational therapists pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 40.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Recreational Therapists salary by metro in Florida
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $62K | +8% | 110 |
| Jacksonville | $59K | +1% | 60 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $58K | +0% | 190 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $57K | -1% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 40.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,484/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Florida pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Florida?
The median is $57,980 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,400, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $86,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,052/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 40.9% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $58,815 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.