Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL make a median of $57,290 a year, or about $27.55 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.42), that's roughly $56,488 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,972/month, about 49.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford’s Regional Price Parity (101.42). 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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
Recreational therapists pay in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,972/month, which is 49.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.42) 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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $58K | $51K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $62K | $62K |
| Jacksonville | $59K | $59K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $61K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $39K 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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 49.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,972/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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,557/month. At HUD’s $1,972/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL?
The median is $57,290 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,620, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $81,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,006/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,972/month, which eats 49.2% 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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford has a Regional Price Parity of 101.42 (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 $56,488 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.