Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$27,600
- 25th Percentile — Junior$31,780
- 50th Percentile — Median$36,560
- 75th Percentile — Senior$43,470
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$50,410
The top 10% of Recreation Workers earn $50,410 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $27,600, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $50,330 | +30.7% |
| Washington | $45,940 | +19.3% |
| Alaska | $45,510 | +18.1% |
| South Dakota | $44,200 | +14.7% |
| California | $43,530 | +13.0% |
| Oregon | $42,990 | +11.6% |
| New York | $41,790 | +8.5% |
| Massachusetts | $41,320 | +7.3% |
| Maryland | $41,280 | +7.2% |
| Colorado | $41,210 | +7.0% |
| Hawaii | $41,170 | +6.9% |
| Connecticut | $41,150 | +6.8% |
| Maine | $40,310 | +4.6% |
| Vermont | $40,020 | +3.9% |
| Minnesota | $39,840 | +3.4% |
| Rhode Island | $39,840 | +3.4% |
| New Jersey | $39,660 | +3.0% |
| Arizona | $39,380 | +2.2% |
| New Hampshire | $38,950 | +1.1% |
| Virginia | $38,870 | +0.9% |
| Montana | $38,520 | +0.0% |
| North Dakota | $38,340 | -0.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $38,120 | -1.0% |
| Illinois | $37,790 | -1.9% |
| Florida | $37,620 | -2.3% |
| Wisconsin | $37,400 | -2.9% |
| Michigan | $37,240 | -3.3% |
| Nebraska | $36,890 | -4.2% |
| New Mexico | $36,620 | -4.9% |
| Missouri | $36,210 | -6.0% |
| Delaware | $35,900 | -6.8% |
| Texas | $35,620 | -7.5% |
| North Carolina | $35,250 | -8.5% |
| Tennessee | $35,150 | -8.7% |
| Nevada | $34,780 | -9.7% |
| Iowa | $34,740 | -9.8% |
| Utah | $34,700 | -9.9% |
| Georgia | $34,690 | -9.9% |
| West Virginia | $34,510 | -10.4% |
| Ohio | $34,350 | -10.8% |
| Idaho | $34,190 | -11.2% |
| Wyoming | $34,060 | -11.6% |
| Kentucky | $34,010 | -11.7% |
| South Carolina | $33,940 | -11.9% |
| Oklahoma | $33,320 | -13.5% |
| Kansas | $32,720 | -15.1% |
| Indiana | $32,710 | -15.1% |
| Louisiana | $31,220 | -19.0% |
| Arkansas | $31,030 | -19.4% |
| Alabama | $30,350 | -21.2% |
| Mississippi | $29,170 | -24.3% |
What Factors Affect Recreation Workers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Recreation Workers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $50,330, while Mississippi pays $29,170 — a gap of $21,160 per year.
The middle half of Recreation Workers earn between $31,780 and $43,470 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $27,600, while the top 10% earn more than $50,410.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Childcare Workers $35,030/yr United States 9.1% vs this role
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $52,420/yr United States +36.1% vs this role
- Animal Caretakers $37,300/yr United States 3.2% vs this role
- Barbers $47,070/yr United States +22.2% vs this role
- Manicurists and Pedicurists $38,570/yr United States +0.1% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +163.3% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +256.4% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Recreation Workers?
The average salary for Recreation Workers in the United States is $38,520 per year, with a median of $36,560.
What is the starting salary for Recreation Workers?
Entry-level Recreation Workers typically earn between $27,600 and $31,780 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Recreation Workers the most?
District of Columbia pays Recreation Workers the most at $50,330 per year on average, followed by Washington ($45,940) and Alaska ($45,510).
How much do Recreation Workers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $38,520, Recreation Workers earn approximately $18.52 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Recreation Workers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 331,490 Recreation Workers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $38,520 and a median of $36,560 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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