Healthcare Practitioners
Recreational Therapists
Also called: Activities Coordinator, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), General Activities Therapist, Recreation Therapist
US median pay
$61,960
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4.8%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
1,400
15,600 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
What they do day to day
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
- Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
- Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
- Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
- Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
- Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Service Orientation4.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Coordination4.0/5
- Instructing3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5/5
- Persuasion3.4/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Negotiation3.1/5
Knowledge
- Psychology4.5/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.5/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.4/5
- Education and Training4.2/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree92%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.