Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area make a median of $53,830 a year, or about $25.88 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $54K actually covers in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area, month by month
About recreational therapists
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $46K 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 95.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,405/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreational therapists in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,702/month.
Is recreational therapist a high-paying job in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $54K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -13%.
How much do recreational therapists make in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
The median is $53,830 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,140, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $86,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,554/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,405/month, which eats 95.8% 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median recreational therapists salary is worth about $53,830 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.