Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for entertainment and recreation managers, except gamblings across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $89,750 ≈ $43/hr
National median salary $79,520
Total employment 37,980 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +7.7%
Faster than average
Annual openings 5,500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 43,200 → 46,500 (+3,300)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$114,770
- Washington$113,810
- Minnesota$112,680
- Colorado$109,890
- New York$105,760
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$52,600
- Arkansas$58,040
- Louisiana$64,690
- Ohio$64,760
- Alabama$68,790
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $114,770 | $113,930 | $55 | +27.9% | 30 |
| 2 | Washington | $113,810 | $96,790 | $55 | +26.8% | 630 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $112,680 | $107,660 | $54 | +25.5% | 480 |
| 4 | Colorado | $109,890 | $97,000 | $53 | +22.4% | 940 |
| 5 | New York | $105,760 | $98,390 | $51 | +17.8% | 1,330 |
| 6 | Maine | $101,930 | $82,780 | $49 | +13.6% | 70 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $100,930 | $89,590 | $49 | +12.5% | 2,260 |
| 8 | California | $98,270 | $79,550 | $47 | +9.5% | 7,000 |
| 9 | Florida | $98,230 | $83,520 | $47 | +9.4% | 2,620 |
| 10 | Vermont | $94,700 | $92,320 | $46 | +5.5% | 270 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $94,620 | $89,450 | $45 | +5.4% | 1,030 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $93,690 | $77,140 | $45 | +4.4% | 170 |
| 13 | Georgia | $93,000 | $83,470 | $45 | +3.6% | 830 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $92,620 | $88,790 | $45 | +3.2% | 70 |
| 15 | Idaho | $91,770 | $95,020 | $44 | +2.3% | 110 |
| 16 | Maryland | $91,540 | $81,220 | $44 | +2% | 940 |
| 17 | Nevada | $89,080 | $82,370 | $43 | -0.7% | 410 |
| 18 | Virginia | $88,960 | $74,800 | $43 | -0.9% | 310 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $88,880 | $88,750 | $43 | -1% | 40 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $88,130 | $79,110 | $42 | -1.8% | 440 |
| 21 | Missouri | $88,010 | $83,620 | $42 | -1.9% | 370 |
| 22 | Arizona | $87,850 | $76,550 | $42 | -2.1% | 880 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $87,100 | $80,090 | $42 | -3% | 170 |
| 24 | Alaska | $86,790 | $70,700 | $42 | -3.3% | 120 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $86,430 | $77,990 | $42 | -3.7% | 1,200 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $85,110 | $70,530 | $41 | -5.2% | 540 |
| 27 | Oregon | $84,790 | $78,200 | $41 | -5.5% | 930 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $84,560 | $78,010 | $41 | -5.8% | 130 |
| 29 | Utah | $83,850 | $79,400 | $40 | -6.6% | 370 |
| 30 | Texas | $83,640 | $78,500 | $40 | -6.8% | 2,880 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $83,110 | $80,130 | $40 | -7.4% | 300 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $82,530 | $78,420 | $40 | -8% | 100 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $80,660 | $81,160 | $39 | -10.1% | 50 |
| 34 | Illinois | $80,540 | $77,310 | $39 | -10.3% | 3,260 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $80,170 | $76,000 | $39 | -10.7% | 160 |
| 36 | Kansas | $75,760 | $69,990 | $36 | -15.6% | 100 |
| 37 | Iowa | $75,270 | $68,320 | $36 | -16.1% | 620 |
| 38 | Michigan | $74,450 | $65,890 | $36 | -17% | 1,670 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $74,160 | $68,990 | $36 | -17.4% | 1,220 |
| 40 | Indiana | $72,740 | $62,760 | $35 | -19% | 340 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $71,650 | $63,270 | $34 | -20.2% | 310 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $70,350 | $67,670 | $34 | -21.6% | 90 |
| 43 | Alabama | $68,790 | $66,540 | $33 | -23.4% | 190 |
| 44 | Ohio | $64,760 | $58,440 | $31 | -27.8% | 1,280 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $64,690 | $62,390 | $31 | -27.9% | 90 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $58,040 | $49,640 | $28 | -35.3% | 230 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $52,600 | $47,310 | $25 | -41.4% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 205 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $123,780 | $121,510 | 320 |
| 2 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $120,410 | $133,420 | 90 |
| 3 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $116,000 | $116,660 | 30 |
| 4 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $111,750 | $98,380 | 40 |
| 5 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $106,870 | $122,570 | 140 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $106,830 | $119,190 | 400 |
| 7 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $105,500 | $116,860 | 80 |
| 8 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $104,730 | $105,480 | 40 |
| 9 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $104,610 | $102,390 | 40 |
| 10 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $100,500 | $111,810 | 430 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing entertainment and recreation managers, except gamblings (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gambling Industries | $129,990 | $155,260 | 80 |
| 2 | Employment Services | $119,170 | $128,780 | 140 |
| 3 | Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $107,200 | $129,580 | — |
| 4 | Religious Organizations | $98,390 | $86,230 | 170 |
| 5 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $97,370 | $102,320 | 8,590 |
| 6 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $97,000 | $102,040 | 8,850 |
| 7 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $96,900 | $106,280 | 320 |
| 8 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $96,900 | $106,280 | 320 |
| 9 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $96,900 | $106,280 | 320 |
| 10 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $96,000 | $101,210 | 9,140 |
| 11 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $96,000 | $101,210 | 9,140 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $94,580 | $100,470 | 9,980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling make in the U.S.?
The median entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling salary in the United States is $79,520 per year (mean $89,750), and about 80% earn between $46,270 and $139,110.
How much do entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling make per hour?
Roughly $43 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $89,750 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling at $114,770 per year (median $113,930).
What is the job outlook for entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling?
Employment is projected to change +7.7% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 5,500 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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