Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Mankato, MN make a median of $81,950 a year, or about $39.4 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.95), which stretches that salary to about $90,104 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,171/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $82K get you in Mankato?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Mankato’s Regional Price Parity (90.95). 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 Mankato
Mankato sits well above the national pay line for recreational therapists, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,171/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.95 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Mankato offers a genuinely strong financial position for recreational therapistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreational therapists in metros near Mankato, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $74K | $71K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $64K | $66K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $62K | $68K |
| Iowa City | $60K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mankato, MN
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $13K 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
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 Mankato numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mankato?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,171/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Mankato?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,112/month. At HUD’s $1,171/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is recreational therapist a high-paying job in Mankato?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $82K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Mankato compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Mankato pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Mankato, MN?
The median is $81,950 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,540, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $81,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Mankato?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,158/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,171/month, which eats 22.7% 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 Mankato?
Mankato has a Regional Price Parity of 90.95 (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 $90,104 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.