Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Hawaii make a median of $64,500 a year, or about $31.01 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $58,546 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 53.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Hawaii?
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Recreational therapists pay in Hawaii tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 54.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Recreational Therapists salary by metro in Hawaii
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | $65K | +0% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 54.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/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 Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,755/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Hawaii?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Hawaii pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Hawaii?
The median is $64,500 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,920, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $95,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,114/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 54.4% 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 Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (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 $58,546 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.