Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Fresno, CA make a median of $98,160 a year, or about $47.19 an hour. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.16), that's roughly $96,085 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,664/month, or 27% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Fresno?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in Fresno
Fresno sits well above the national pay line for recreational therapists, local pay runs about 58% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,664/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.16) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreational therapists in metros near Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $92K | $81K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $98K | $92K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $102K | $89K |
| Napa | $108K | $96K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Recreational Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Recreational Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $98K | +58% | 1,920 |
| District of Columbia | $96K | +54% | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $82K | +33% | 70 |
| Nevada | $79K | +27% | 400 |
| Washington | $78K | +26% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +23% | 250 |
| Colorado | $67K | +7% | 200 |
| Oregon | $67K | +7% | 250 |
| New York | $66K | +6% | 1,230 |
| Hawaii | $65K | +4% | 40 |
| Maryland | $64K | +4% | 290 |
| Vermont | $63K | +2% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +2% | 380 |
| Nebraska | $63K | +2% | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +1% | 210 |
| Arizona | $63K | +1% | 170 |
| Texas | $62K | +1% | 800 |
| Michigan | $62K | -0% | 590 |
| Virginia | $61K | -1% | 570 |
| Ohio | $61K | -2% | 310 |
| New Jersey | $60K | -3% | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -4% | 350 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -4% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -5% | 720 |
| Missouri | $59K | -5% | 140 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -6% | 80 |
| Florida | $58K | -6% | 640 |
| Maine | $58K | -7% | 40 |
| Alabama | $57K | -7% | 160 |
| Utah | $57K | -9% | 210 |
| Iowa | $56K | -9% | 230 |
| Illinois | $55K | -11% | 440 |
| Indiana | $54K | -13% | 190 |
| Georgia | $52K | -16% | 530 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -16% | 150 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -17% | 190 |
| Delaware | $51K | -18% | 70 |
| Montana | $51K | -18% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -18% | 440 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -19% | 120 |
| Idaho | $50K | -20% | 90 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -21% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -21% | 130 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -21% | 190 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -24% | 40 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -31% | 70 |
| Kansas | $40K | -35% | 710 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -36% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fresno numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fresno?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,903/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Fresno?
Local pay is 58% above the national median — $98K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Fresno pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +58%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $98,160 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,720, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $115,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,015/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 27.7% 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 Fresno?
Fresno has a Regional Price Parity of 102.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median recreational therapists salary is worth about $96,085 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.