Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondarys across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$125,840
- Michigan$109,870
- Maryland$105,220
- Massachusetts$94,740
- New York$90,190
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$61,600
- Arkansas$64,820
- Mississippi$65,590
- Colorado$66,480
- Alaska$68,790
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $125,840 | $127,780 | $61 | +45.3% | 1,950 |
| 2 | Michigan | $109,870 | $83,690 | $53 | +26.8% | 320 |
| 3 | Maryland | $105,220 | $97,640 | $51 | +21.5% | 90 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $94,740 | $87,960 | $46 | +9.4% | 290 |
| 5 | New York | $90,190 | $80,190 | $43 | +4.1% | 670 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $89,050 | $83,150 | $43 | +2.8% | 640 |
| 7 | South Carolina | $88,820 | $78,800 | $43 | +2.5% | 280 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $84,480 | $80,410 | $41 | -2.5% | 260 |
| 9 | Illinois | $82,710 | $67,180 | $40 | -4.5% | 630 |
| 10 | Iowa | $81,630 | $75,130 | $39 | -5.8% | 100 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $81,480 | $79,200 | $39 | -5.9% | 190 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $79,750 | $80,500 | $38 | -7.9% | 40 |
| 13 | Florida | $79,080 | $76,100 | $38 | -8.7% | 140 |
| 14 | Missouri | $78,510 | $73,180 | $38 | -9.4% | 200 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $78,490 | $63,590 | $38 | -9.4% | 110 |
| 16 | Arizona | $78,020 | $71,230 | $38 | -9.9% | 90 |
| 17 | Texas | $77,610 | $76,480 | $37 | -10.4% | 1,460 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $77,580 | $79,090 | $37 | -10.4% | 40 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $77,150 | $83,260 | $37 | -10.9% | 30 |
| 20 | Maine | $76,530 | $67,670 | $37 | -11.6% | 40 |
| 21 | Idaho | $76,310 | $58,720 | $37 | -11.9% | 70 |
| 22 | Washington | $76,210 | $74,850 | $37 | -12% | 240 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $75,620 | $73,280 | $36 | -12.7% | 220 |
| 24 | Oregon | $74,870 | $63,090 | $36 | -13.6% | 480 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $74,830 | $65,900 | $36 | -13.6% | 520 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $74,490 | $73,860 | $36 | -14% | 730 |
| 27 | Virginia | $74,380 | $65,320 | $36 | -14.1% | 310 |
| 28 | Utah | $73,350 | $76,350 | $35 | -15.3% | 110 |
| 29 | Ohio | $71,960 | $70,260 | $35 | -16.9% | 420 |
| 30 | Indiana | $71,940 | $67,060 | $35 | -16.9% | 410 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $71,890 | $65,940 | $35 | -17% | 100 |
| 32 | Georgia | $71,080 | $66,410 | $34 | -17.9% | 160 |
| 33 | Kansas | $71,040 | $59,730 | $34 | -18% | 60 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $70,760 | $66,440 | $34 | -18.3% | 100 |
| 35 | Alabama | $69,950 | $72,680 | $34 | -19.2% | 110 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $69,420 | $64,890 | $33 | -19.9% | 230 |
| 37 | Alaska | $68,790 | $58,330 | $33 | -20.6% | 60 |
| 38 | Colorado | $66,480 | $65,730 | $32 | -23.3% | 180 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $65,590 | $60,560 | $32 | -24.3% | 190 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $64,820 | $63,020 | $31 | -25.2% | 110 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $61,600 | $62,280 | $30 | -28.9% | 60 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 63 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $159,690 | $154,130 | 170 |
| 2 | Fresno, CA | $137,850 | $127,470 | 60 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $134,190 | $153,870 | 200 |
| 4 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,850 | $138,400 | 60 |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,420 | $128,840 | 160 |
| 6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $106,660 | $121,550 | 770 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | $101,550 | $93,030 | 80 |
| 8 | Columbia, SC | $99,340 | $117,760 | 90 |
| 9 | Knoxville, TN | $98,230 | $91,740 | 60 |
| 10 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $92,910 | $92,970 | 30 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $103,040 | $115,460 | 2,910 |
| 2 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $100,930 | $110,510 | 3,250 |
| 3 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $100,930 | $110,510 | 3,250 |
| 4 | Junior Colleges | $96,670 | $107,880 | 3,480 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $79,030 | $90,690 | 9,580 |
| 6 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $78,200 | $81,650 | 5,770 |
| 7 | Educational Services | $77,270 | $86,630 | 12,630 |
| 8 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $77,270 | $80,540 | 6,330 |
| 9 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $77,270 | $80,540 | 6,330 |
| 10 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $77,270 | $86,620 | 12,630 |
| 11 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $77,270 | $86,630 | 12,630 |
| 12 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $74,710 | $78,650 | 9,090 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $77,270 per year (mean $86,620), and about 80% earn between $44,900 and $134,890.
How much do recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $42 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $86,620 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary at $125,840 per year (median $127,780).
What is the job outlook for recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +2.4% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,100 openings per year.