Recreational Therapists Salary
Recreational Therapists in Utah make a median of $56,640 a year, or about $27.23 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $57,479 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Utah?
About recreational therapists
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What this looks like in Utah
Recreational therapists pay in Utah tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 36.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) 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, Utah
Entry-level recreational therapists (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Recreational Therapists salary by metro in Utah
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $64K | +12% | 90 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $56K | -2% | 50 |
| Ogden | $50K | -11% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track recreational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 36.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/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 Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreational therapists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,904/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Utah?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Utah compare to the national average for recreational therapists?
Utah pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do recreational therapists make in Utah?
The median is $56,640 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,730, and experienced recreational therapists can clear $86,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,743/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 36.1% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $57,479 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.