Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in New York make a median of $65,520 a year, or about $31.5 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $66,714 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 44.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $66K get you in New York?
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in New York
Recreational therapists pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $66K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 44.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) 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, New York
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Recreational Therapists salary by metro in New York
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $66K | +1% | 1,090 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $65K | -1% | 60 |
| Syracuse | $63K | -3% | 80 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $62K | -6% | 30 |
| Rochester | $59K | -10% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 44.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,996/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 New York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $66K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
New York pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in New York?
The median is $65,520 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,940, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $91,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,290/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 44.7% 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 New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $66,714 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.