Recreation Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for recreation workers is $36,560, or $17.58 per hour. About 331,490 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $46,460 in District of Columbia to $27,770 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $46,460 | $22.34 | 470 | 0.31 |
| 2 | Washington | $44,890 | $21.58 | 6,380 | 0.84 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $42,270 | $20.32 | 650 | 0.67 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $41,000 | $19.71 | 1,590 | 1.19 |
| 5 | California | $39,780 | $19.12 | 48,560 | 1.25 |
| 6 | Oregon | $39,610 | $19.05 | 4,640 | 1.11 |
| 7 | Colorado | $38,820 | $18.67 | 6,100 | 1.00 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $38,540 | $18.53 | 11,280 | 1.45 |
| 9 | New York | $38,040 | $18.29 | 24,790 | 1.20 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $37,510 | $18.03 | 7,940 | 1.26 |
| 11 | Alaska | $37,510 | $18.03 | 630 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Vermont | $37,450 | $18.01 | 840 | 1.29 |
| 13 | Maine | $37,450 | $18.01 | 1,260 | 0.92 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $37,310 | $17.94 | 730 | 0.79 |
| 15 | Maryland | $37,200 | $17.89 | 4,350 | 0.74 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $37,040 | $17.81 | 2,030 | 1.39 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $36,880 | $17.73 | 7,550 | 0.83 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $36,610 | $17.60 | 5,000 | 1.38 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $36,340 | $17.47 | 770 | 0.72 |
| 20 | Virginia | $36,120 | $17.36 | 9,260 | 1.06 |
| 21 | Arizona | $35,800 | $17.21 | 12,650 | 1.83 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $35,710 | $17.17 | 9,850 | 0.76 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $35,530 | $17.08 | 6,840 | 1.09 |
| 24 | Florida | $35,490 | $17.06 | 18,010 | 0.85 |
| 25 | Illinois | $35,480 | $17.06 | 17,650 | 1.36 |
| 26 | Montana | $35,090 | $16.87 | 800 | 0.74 |
| 27 | Michigan | $35,090 | $16.87 | 10,850 | 1.16 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $34,590 | $16.63 | 1,510 | 0.69 |
| 29 | Missouri | $34,320 | $16.50 | 5,380 | 0.86 |
| 30 | Delaware | $33,790 | $16.25 | 1,230 | 1.19 |
| 31 | Iowa | $33,700 | $16.20 | 2,870 | 0.86 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $33,580 | $16.14 | 3,420 | 0.49 |
| 33 | Utah | $32,890 | $15.81 | 5,760 | 1.56 |
| 34 | Texas | $32,720 | $15.73 | 18,660 | 0.62 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $32,720 | $15.73 | 9,520 | 0.90 |
| 36 | Georgia | $32,540 | $15.64 | 8,160 | 0.78 |
| 37 | Ohio | $32,420 | $15.59 | 12,340 | 1.04 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $32,400 | $15.58 | 3,290 | 0.77 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $31,900 | $15.34 | 870 | 0.47 |
| 40 | Kansas | $31,760 | $15.27 | 2,990 | 0.98 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $31,580 | $15.18 | 2,380 | 0.65 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $31,420 | $15.10 | 5,270 | 1.07 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $30,720 | $14.77 | 790 | 1.31 |
| 44 | Indiana | $30,190 | $14.52 | 8,050 | 1.18 |
| 45 | Nevada | $30,150 | $14.49 | 2,570 | 0.78 |
| 46 | Idaho | $30,100 | $14.47 | 2,080 | 1.14 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $29,710 | $14.28 | 1,410 | 0.94 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $28,580 | $13.74 | 2,830 | 0.69 |
| 49 | Alabama | $28,360 | $13.64 | 4,700 | 1.04 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $28,060 | $13.49 | 2,220 | 0.90 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $27,770 | $13.35 | 1,740 | 0.63 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do recreation workers make?
The median annual wage for recreation workers in the United States is $36,560, or $17.58 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $27,600, and the top 10% earn $50,410.
How many recreation workers are employed in the U.S.?
About 331,490 people work as recreation workers nationwide.
Which state pays recreation workers the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $46,460, followed by Washington ($44,890) and South Dakota ($42,270).
Which state pays recreation workers the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $27,770.
Where are recreation workers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Arizona at 1.83×.