Money · 1 of 5
What recreation therapists make
Typical
$61,960
New graduate
$40,990
Federal or senior clinical
$100,420
The national median is $61,960 a year and the bottom tenth start near $40,990. Nursing homes and community programs sit toward the bottom. Hospitals, rehabilitation centers and especially federal veterans hospitals sit toward the top, and the federal pay scale is the main reason the high figure reaches past $100,000.