Average Recreational Therapist Salary in United Kingdom for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Recreational Therapist salary for 2024 in United Kingdom and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.

How Much Does a Recreational Therapist Make in United Kingdom?

A Recreational Therapist working in United Kingdom will typically earn around 44,700 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 23,200 GBP to the highest average salary of 68,300 GBP.

Average Annual Salary
44,700 GBP
Average Monthly Salary
3,725 GBP

Lowest Annual Salary
23,200 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,933 GBP

Highest Annual Salary
68,300 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary
5,691 GBP

These are average salaries for a Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Recreational Therapist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Recreational Therapist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Recreational Therapist Salaries in United Kingdom

So we've looked at the average salaries a Recreational Therapist will earn in United Kingdom. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Recreational Therapist can earn between 23,200 GBP and 68,300 GBP on average in United Kingdom. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom is 45,400 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 45,400 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 45,400 GBP.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Recreational Therapist salary in United Kingdom, 25% of the population are earning less than 30,100 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 30,100 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 58,500 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 58,500 GBP.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Recreational Therapist Salary by Experience Level in United Kingdom

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average recreational therapist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 27,800 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Recreational Therapist salary would increase to 31,700 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Recreational Therapist, the average salary would be 45,000 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 55,300 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Recreational Therapist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 59,900 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Recreational Therapist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 64,200 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
27,800 GBP
2-5 Years +29%
31,700 GBP
5-10 Years +38%
45,000 GBP
10-15 Years +24%
55,300 GBP
15-20 Years +7%
59,900 GBP
20+ Years +7%
64,200 GBP

Recreational Therapist Salary by Education Level in United Kingdom

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom with a high school education can earn an average salary of 37,300 GBP.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 59,800 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
37,300 GBP
Certificate or Diploma +65%
59,800 GBP

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Recreational Therapist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United Kingdom, a male recreational therapist will earn an average of 45,200 GBP, while a female recreational therapist will earn around 45,600 GBP.

This means that a male recreational therapist earns approximately 1% less than a female recreational therapist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United Kingdom

Male
45,200 GBP
Female +1%
45,600 GBP

Recreational Therapist Average Pay Raise in United Kingdom

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom is around 11% every 15 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 15 ) × 12  = 9%

What this means is that a Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 9% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United Kingdom for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
3%
Energy
6%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
3%
Travel
6%
Construction
9%
Education
3%

Recreational Therapist Bonus and Incentive Rates in United Kingdom

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Recreational Therapist is a moderate bonus based job, with 57% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

43% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6%.

Received Bonus
57%
No Bonus
43%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
72,700 GBP
Private Sector -7%
68,200 GBP

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Recreational Therapist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Recreational Therapist in United Kingdom.

Job Title Category Salary
Aromatherapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 78,700 GBP
Art Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 53,300 GBP
Assistant Spa Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 58,200 GBP
Beauty Advisor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 54,200 GBP
Beauty Educator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 66,200 GBP
Beauty Shop Coordinator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 38,700 GBP
Beauty Specialist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 53,800 GBP
Beauty Supply Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 100,500 GBP
Beauty Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 54,500 GBP
Cosmetic Sales Fitness / Hair / Beauty 30,800 GBP
Cosmetologist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 49,800 GBP
Day Spa Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 98,700 GBP
Esthetician Fitness / Hair / Beauty 27,400 GBP
Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 58,500 GBP
Fitness Instructor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 38,000 GBP
Grooming Salon Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 89,300 GBP
Hair Replacement Specialist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 89,400 GBP
Hair Stylist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 34,000 GBP
Health Coach Fitness / Hair / Beauty 76,600 GBP
Health Educator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 89,900 GBP
Manicurist and Pedicurist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 21,100 GBP
Massage Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 45,000 GBP
Masseur Fitness / Hair / Beauty 35,100 GBP
Natural Remedy Consultant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 79,000 GBP
Naturopath and Acupuncturist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 30,800 GBP
Occupational Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 45,000 GBP
Occupational Therapy Assistant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 35,100 GBP
Physical Therapy Attendant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 34,000 GBP
Salon Assistant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 32,600 GBP
Salon Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 92,400 GBP
Spa Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 105,800 GBP
Spa Supervisor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 78,400 GBP
Sport and Recreation Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 109,700 GBP
Tattoo Artist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 27,800 GBP
Weight Loss Consultant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 100,700 GBP
Yoga Instructor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 65,900 GBP

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Aberdeen 45,600 GBP
Abingdon 38,100 GBP
Armagh 43,800 GBP
Bangor 37,800 GBP
Belfast 46,200 GBP
Birmingham 51,500 GBP
Bradford 46,700 GBP
Brighton 47,400 GBP
Bristol 48,300 GBP
Cambridge 41,000 GBP
Canterbury 36,700 GBP
Cardiff 46,700 GBP
Chester 43,200 GBP
Coventry 45,800 GBP
Derby 44,500 GBP
Derry 39,700 GBP
Dundee 42,700 GBP
Durham 40,600 GBP
Edinburgh 50,700 GBP
Exeter 45,000 GBP
Glasgow 49,800 GBP
Gloucester 42,400 GBP
Hartlepool 39,800 GBP
Inverness 40,500 GBP
Kingston upon Hull 48,600 GBP
Kirkwall 35,000 GBP
Leeds 50,800 GBP
Leicester 45,000 GBP
Lincoln 44,500 GBP
Lisburn 37,800 GBP
Liverpool 49,800 GBP
London 48,500 GBP
Manchester 46,100 GBP
Newcastle 48,600 GBP
Newport 46,400 GBP
Newry 44,300 GBP
Norwich 41,500 GBP
Nottingham 45,700 GBP
Oxford 44,200 GBP
Peterborough 45,000 GBP
Plymouth 45,000 GBP
Poole 41,900 GBP
Portsmouth 43,800 GBP
Ripon 39,100 GBP
Salisbury 37,800 GBP
Sheffield 50,700 GBP
Somerset 50,300 GBP
Southampton 46,300 GBP
St Davids 36,900 GBP
Stirling 41,500 GBP
Stromness 39,500 GBP
Strontian 34,900 GBP
Swansea 43,800 GBP
Truro 39,400 GBP
Wakefield 38,000 GBP
Wells 39,100 GBP
Winchester 39,800 GBP
Wolverhampton 43,500 GBP
York 43,800 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.

City Average Salary
England 83,400 GBP
Northern Ireland 38,700 GBP
Scotland 59,200 GBP
Wales 44,300 GBP

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