Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Lincoln, NE make a median of $62,980 a year, or about $30.28 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.58), which stretches that salary to about $68,770 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,141/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Lincoln?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lincoln’s Regional Price Parity (91.58). 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 Lincoln
Recreational therapists pay in Lincoln tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,141/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.58 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreational therapists in metros near Lincoln, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $59K | $64K |
| Kansas City | $45K | $49K |
| Wichita | $37K | $41K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $67K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lincoln, NE
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $79K 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 Lincoln numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lincoln?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,141/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Lincoln?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,734/month. At HUD’s $1,141/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Lincoln?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Lincoln compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Lincoln pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Lincoln, NE?
The median is $62,980 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,570, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $79,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Lincoln?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,175/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,141/month, which eats 27.3% 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 Lincoln?
Lincoln has a Regional Price Parity of 91.58 (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 $68,770 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.