Recreation Workers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for recreation workerss 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 $38,520 ≈ $19/hr
National median salary $36,560
Total employment 331,490 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings 68,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 327,700 → 341,100 (+13,400)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
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$50,330
- Washington$45,940
- Alaska$45,510
- South Dakota$44,200
- California$43,530
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$29,170
- Alabama$30,350
- Arkansas$31,030
- Louisiana$31,220
- Indiana$32,710
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $50,330 | $46,460 | $24 | +30.7% | 470 |
| 2 | Washington | $45,940 | $44,890 | $22 | +19.3% | 6,380 |
| 3 | Alaska | $45,510 | $37,510 | $22 | +18.1% | 630 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $44,200 | $42,270 | $21 | +14.7% | 650 |
| 5 | California | $43,530 | $39,780 | $21 | +13% | 48,560 |
| 6 | Oregon | $42,990 | $39,610 | $21 | +11.6% | 4,640 |
| 7 | New York | $41,790 | $38,040 | $20 | +8.5% | 24,790 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $41,320 | $38,540 | $20 | +7.3% | 11,280 |
| 9 | Maryland | $41,280 | $37,200 | $20 | +7.2% | 4,350 |
| 10 | Colorado | $41,210 | $38,820 | $20 | +7% | 6,100 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $41,170 | $41,000 | $20 | +6.9% | 1,590 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $41,150 | $36,610 | $20 | +6.8% | 5,000 |
| 13 | Maine | $40,310 | $37,450 | $19 | +4.6% | 1,260 |
| 14 | Vermont | $40,020 | $37,450 | $19 | +3.9% | 840 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $39,840 | $37,510 | $19 | +3.4% | 7,940 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $39,840 | $36,340 | $19 | +3.4% | 770 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $39,660 | $36,880 | $19 | +3% | 7,550 |
| 18 | Arizona | $39,380 | $35,800 | $19 | +2.2% | 12,650 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $38,950 | $37,040 | $19 | +1.1% | 2,030 |
| 20 | Virginia | $38,870 | $36,120 | $19 | +0.9% | 9,260 |
| 21 | Montana | $38,520 | $35,090 | $19 | +0% | 800 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $38,340 | $37,310 | $18 | -0.5% | 730 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $38,120 | $35,710 | $18 | -1% | 9,850 |
| 24 | Illinois | $37,790 | $35,480 | $18 | -1.9% | 17,650 |
| 25 | Florida | $37,620 | $35,490 | $18 | -2.3% | 18,010 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $37,400 | $35,530 | $18 | -2.9% | 6,840 |
| 27 | Michigan | $37,240 | $35,090 | $18 | -3.3% | 10,850 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $36,890 | $34,590 | $18 | -4.2% | 1,510 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $36,620 | $31,900 | $18 | -4.9% | 870 |
| 30 | Missouri | $36,210 | $34,320 | $17 | -6% | 5,380 |
| 31 | Delaware | $35,900 | $33,790 | $17 | -6.8% | 1,230 |
| 32 | Texas | $35,620 | $32,720 | $17 | -7.5% | 18,660 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $35,250 | $32,720 | $17 | -8.5% | 9,520 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $35,150 | $33,580 | $17 | -8.7% | 3,420 |
| 35 | Nevada | $34,780 | $30,150 | $17 | -9.7% | 2,570 |
| 36 | Iowa | $34,740 | $33,700 | $17 | -9.8% | 2,870 |
| 37 | Utah | $34,700 | $32,890 | $17 | -9.9% | 5,760 |
| 38 | Georgia | $34,690 | $32,540 | $17 | -9.9% | 8,160 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $34,510 | $29,710 | $17 | -10.4% | 1,410 |
| 40 | Ohio | $34,350 | $32,420 | $17 | -10.8% | 12,340 |
| 41 | Idaho | $34,190 | $30,100 | $16 | -11.2% | 2,080 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $34,060 | $30,720 | $16 | -11.6% | 790 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $34,010 | $32,400 | $16 | -11.7% | 3,290 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $33,940 | $31,420 | $16 | -11.9% | 5,270 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $33,320 | $31,580 | $16 | -13.5% | 2,380 |
| 46 | Kansas | $32,720 | $31,760 | $16 | -15.1% | 2,990 |
| 47 | Indiana | $32,710 | $30,190 | $16 | -15.1% | 8,050 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $31,220 | $28,580 | $15 | -19% | 2,830 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $31,030 | $27,770 | $15 | -19.4% | 1,740 |
| 50 | Alabama | $30,350 | $28,360 | $15 | -21.2% | 4,700 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $29,170 | $28,060 | $14 | -24.3% | 2,220 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 517 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $61,040 | $61,070 | 50 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $57,580 | $54,750 | 2,620 |
| 3 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $47,870 | $43,640 | 1,170 |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,290 | $48,810 | 6,510 |
| 5 | Bend, OR | $46,230 | $46,360 | 290 |
| 6 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $46,110 | $45,590 | 260 |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,990 | $47,840 | 3,600 |
| 8 | Bozeman, MT | $45,010 | $47,520 | 70 |
| 9 | Bellingham, WA | $44,640 | $45,900 | 260 |
| 10 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $43,620 | $46,900 | 120 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing recreation workerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $73,320 | $72,040 | 1,740 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $73,320 | $72,040 | 1,740 |
| 3 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $68,590 | $54,820 | 70 |
| 4 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | $54,990 | $52,130 | 50 |
| 5 | Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $46,220 | $47,490 | 880 |
| 6 | Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals, State Government Owned | $46,220 | $47,860 | 320 |
| 7 | Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals, Privately Owned | $46,220 | $47,330 | 540 |
| 8 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $46,190 | $47,860 | 2,090 |
| 9 | Hospitals, State Government Owned | $46,110 | $48,190 | 410 |
| 10 | Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | $45,230 | $46,770 | 310 |
| 11 | Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures | $45,030 | $44,580 | — |
| 12 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $43,140 | $42,360 | 2,620 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do recreation workers make in the U.S.?
The median recreation workers salary in the United States is $36,560 per year (mean $38,520), and about 80% earn between $27,600 and $50,410.
How much do recreation workers make per hour?
Roughly $19 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $38,520 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays recreation workers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for recreation workers at $50,330 per year (median $46,460).
What is the job outlook for recreation workers?
Employment is projected to change +4.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 68,100 openings per year.