Recreational Therapists pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $78,850 or more. The middle half of recreational therapists in Nashville earn between $48,060 and $62,190.
- $39K10th
- $48K25th
- $53KMedian
- $62K75th
- $79K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $56,090 | $4,674 | $26.97 |
| Median | $53,400 | $4,450 | $25.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,060 | $4,005 | $23.11 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $62,190 | $5,182 | $29.90 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Recreational Therapists pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Recreational therapists in Nashville earn about the same as the Tennessee average ($55,030) and 17% less than the U.S. average ($67,630). At the median the gap is -14% against the U.S. median of $61,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $56,090 | $53,400 | $38,870 | $78,850 | 50 |
| Tennessee | $55,030 | $51,910 | $37,080 | $78,850 | 150 |
| United States | $67,630 | $61,960 | $40,990 | $100,420 | 14,930 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Recreational Therapists salary after taxes in Nashville
On the average salary of $56,090, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $47,248 a year, or $3,937 a month and $1,817 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for recreational therapists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $56,090 buys what about $58,222 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Recreational Therapists salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 2nd of 3 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Memphis pays the most ($60,730).
- Memphis$60,730
- Nashville$56,090
- Chattanooga$51,970
Highest-paying cities for recreational therapists
Napa, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,290).
- Napa, CA$109,290
- Stockton, CA$107,870
- San Francisco, CA$103,380
- Vallejo, CA$103,260
- San Jose, CA$99,100
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Recreational Therapists salary in Nashville: questions
How much do recreational therapists make an hour in Nashville?
$26.96 an hour on average, and $25.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level recreational therapists salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the recreational therapists take-home pay in Nashville?
About $47,248 a year ($3,937 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $56,090. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do recreational therapists earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. average for this job ($67,630).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1125; area Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.46, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.46).
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