Average Salary for Recreation Workers
SOC 39-9032 · Personal Care and Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Recreation Workers in the United States is $35,380 ($17.01/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $25,640 at the 10th percentile to $49,460 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 309,640 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 56.4% since 2014.
Median Annual
$35,380
Mean Annual
$37,170
10th Pct
$25,640
75th Pct
$41,120
Employment
309,640
Salary Distribution
$26k
10th
$30k
25th
$35k
Median
$41k
75th
$49k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $54,990 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $46,480 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,170 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $45,110 |
| Rapid City, SD | $44,150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $44,070 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $42,010 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $40,920 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $40,230 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $40,060 |
| Bellingham, WA | $39,780 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $39,780 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $39,510 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $39,300 |
| Napa, CA | $39,220 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $45,760 |
| Washington | $43,850 |
| South Dakota | $41,380 |
| Alaska | $39,830 |
| North Dakota | $37,920 |
| California | $37,580 |
| Minnesota | $37,500 |
| Oregon | $37,440 |
| New York | $37,270 |
| Vermont | $37,160 |
| Colorado | $37,110 |
| Massachusetts | $36,960 |
| Rhode Island | $36,080 |
| Maine | $35,920 |
| New Jersey | $35,720 |
| Connecticut | $35,520 |
| Arizona | $35,340 |
| Virginia | $35,260 |
| New Hampshire | $35,180 |
| Maryland | $34,200 |
| Florida | $34,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,050 |
| Wisconsin | $33,910 |
| Illinois | $33,830 |
| Michigan | $33,520 |
| Montana | $33,310 |
| Hawaii | $32,610 |
| Virgin Islands | $31,900 |
| North Carolina | $31,680 |
| Tennessee | $31,620 |
| Georgia | $31,520 |
| New Mexico | $31,510 |
| South Carolina | $31,370 |
| Texas | $31,290 |
| Wyoming | $31,200 |
| Delaware | $31,190 |
| Kentucky | $31,100 |
| Utah | $31,060 |
| Ohio | $31,030 |
| Missouri | $30,910 |
| Oklahoma | $30,650 |
| Iowa | $30,460 |
| Kansas | $30,370 |
| Nebraska | $30,110 |
| Indiana | $29,140 |
| Nevada | $29,130 |
| Idaho | $29,120 |
| West Virginia | $29,050 |
| Guam | $28,030 |
| Alabama | $27,320 |
| Mississippi | $27,200 |
| Louisiana | $26,530 |
| Arkansas | $26,520 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,060 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Recreation Workers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $69,950 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $69,950 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $52,690 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $44,660 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $44,450 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | $43,720 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $43,510 |
| Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures | $43,270 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $42,060 |
| Educational Support Services | $41,380 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $41,020 |
| Business Schools and Computer and Management Training | $41,010 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $40,330 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $40,330 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $40,330 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $39,990 |
| Information | $39,930 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $39,460 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $39,200 |
| Hospitals | $39,120 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $38,820 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $38,740 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $38,660 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $38,500 |
| Offices of Physicians | $38,110 |
| Gambling Industries | $38,100 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $37,800 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $37,790 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $37,630 |
| Personal Care Services | $37,450 |
| Real Estate | $37,350 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $37,190 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $36,930 |
| Home Health Care Services | $36,910 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $36,890 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $36,640 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $36,450 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | $36,400 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $36,320 |
| Educational Services | $36,160 |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $36,140 |
| Educational Services | $36,040 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $36,030 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $36,000 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $35,990 |
| Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | $35,990 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $35,940 |
| Individual and Family Services | $35,530 |
| Social Assistance | $35,530 |
| Other Support Services | $35,510 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $35,500 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $35,420 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $35,200 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $35,140 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $35,140 |
| Religious Organizations | $35,130 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $35,110 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $35,090 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $35,040 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $35,020 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $34,980 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $34,740 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $34,560 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $34,550 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $34,450 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $34,320 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $34,320 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $34,290 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $34,250 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $34,250 |
| Junior Colleges | $34,190 |
| Child Care Services | $34,190 |
| Spectator Sports | $34,120 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | $33,890 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | $33,890 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $33,680 |
| Accommodation | $33,390 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $33,180 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $33,060 |
| Manufacturing | $32,730 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $31,560 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $31,550 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $31,550 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $31,550 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $31,510 |
| Employment Services | $31,510 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $31,510 |
| Special Food Services | $31,470 |
| Retail Trade | $31,040 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $31,030 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $31,030 |
| Facilities Support Services | $29,780 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $29,480 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $29,410 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $29,210 |
| Temporary Help Services | $28,460 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $25,640 |
| Other Personal Services | $25,570 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $35,380 |
| 2023 | $34,410 |
| 2022 | $31,680 |
| 2021 | $29,680 |
| 2020 | $28,440 |
| 2019 | $26,350 |
| 2018 | $25,060 |
| 2017 | $24,540 |
| 2016 | $23,870 |
| 2015 | $23,320 |
| 2014 | $22,620 |