SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 39-9032.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $27,600 | $2,300 | $531 | $13.27 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $31,780 | $2,648 | $611 | $15.28 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $36,560 | $3,047 | $703 | $17.58 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $43,470 | $3,622 | $836 | $20.90 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $50,410 | $4,201 | $969 | $24.24 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Recreation Workers is $36,560, which is 28% lower. Among the 32 occupations of the field Personal Care and Service, it ranks number 19 by median pay. With 331,490 jobs, it makes up about 21 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Recreation Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($46,460), Washington ($44,890) and South Dakota ($42,270). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,210), Arkansas ($27,770) and Mississippi ($28,060). The most jobs were in California (48,560), New York (24,790) and Texas (18,660). The occupation is most concentrated in Arizona, where its share of all jobs is 1.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 470 | $46,460 | $50,330 | $22.34 |
| Washington | 6,380 | $44,890 | $45,940 | $21.58 |
| South Dakota | 650 | $42,270 | $44,200 | $20.32 |
| Hawaii | 1,590 | $41,000 | $41,170 | $19.71 |
| California | 48,560 | $39,780 | $43,530 | $19.12 |
| Oregon | 4,640 | $39,610 | $42,990 | $19.05 |
| Colorado | 6,100 | $38,820 | $41,210 | $18.67 |
| Massachusetts | 11,280 | $38,540 | $41,320 | $18.53 |
| New York | 24,790 | $38,040 | $41,790 | $18.29 |
| Alaska | 630 | $37,510 | $45,510 | $18.03 |
| Minnesota | 7,940 | $37,510 | $39,840 | $18.03 |
| Maine | 1,260 | $37,450 | $40,310 | $18.01 |
| Vermont | 840 | $37,450 | $40,020 | $18.01 |
| North Dakota | 730 | $37,310 | $38,340 | $17.94 |
| Maryland | 4,350 | $37,200 | $41,280 | $17.89 |
| New Hampshire | 2,030 | $37,040 | $38,950 | $17.81 |
| New Jersey | 7,550 | $36,880 | $39,660 | $17.73 |
| Connecticut | 5,000 | $36,610 | $41,150 | $17.60 |
| Rhode Island | 770 | $36,340 | $39,840 | $17.47 |
| Virginia | 9,260 | $36,120 | $38,870 | $17.36 |
| Arizona | 12,650 | $35,800 | $39,380 | $17.21 |
| Pennsylvania | 9,850 | $35,710 | $38,120 | $17.17 |
| Wisconsin | 6,840 | $35,530 | $37,400 | $17.08 |
| Florida | 18,010 | $35,490 | $37,620 | $17.06 |
| Illinois | 17,650 | $35,480 | $37,790 | $17.06 |
| Michigan | 10,850 | $35,090 | $37,240 | $16.87 |
| Montana | 800 | $35,090 | $38,520 | $16.87 |
| Nebraska | 1,510 | $34,590 | $36,890 | $16.63 |
| Missouri | 5,380 | $34,320 | $36,210 | $16.50 |
| Delaware | 1,230 | $33,790 | $35,900 | $16.25 |
| Iowa | 2,870 | $33,700 | $34,740 | $16.20 |
| Tennessee | 3,420 | $33,580 | $35,150 | $16.14 |
| Virgin Islands | 30 | $33,400 | $34,490 | $16.06 |
| Utah | 5,760 | $32,890 | $34,700 | $15.81 |
| North Carolina | 9,520 | $32,720 | $35,250 | $15.73 |
| Texas | 18,660 | $32,720 | $35,620 | $15.73 |
| Georgia | 8,160 | $32,540 | $34,690 | $15.64 |
| Ohio | 12,340 | $32,420 | $34,350 | $15.59 |
| Kentucky | 3,290 | $32,400 | $34,010 | $15.58 |
| New Mexico | 870 | $31,900 | $36,620 | $15.34 |
| Kansas | 2,990 | $31,760 | $32,720 | $15.27 |
| Oklahoma | 2,380 | $31,580 | $33,320 | $15.18 |
| South Carolina | 5,270 | $31,420 | $33,940 | $15.10 |
| Wyoming | 790 | $30,720 | $34,060 | $14.77 |
| Indiana | 8,050 | $30,190 | $32,710 | $14.52 |
| Nevada | 2,570 | $30,150 | $34,780 | $14.49 |
| Idaho | 2,080 | $30,100 | $34,190 | $14.47 |
| West Virginia | 1,410 | $29,710 | $34,510 | $14.28 |
| Louisiana | 2,830 | $28,580 | $31,220 | $13.74 |
| Alabama | 4,700 | $28,360 | $30,350 | $13.64 |
| Mississippi | 2,220 | $28,060 | $29,170 | $13.49 |
| Arkansas | 1,740 | $27,770 | $31,030 | $13.35 |
| Puerto Rico | 850 | $22,210 | $24,860 | $10.68 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Barbers$38,210 a year
- Tour and Travel Guides$38,120 a year
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops$37,080 a year
- Gambling Service Workers, All Other$36,310 a year
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants$36,300 a year
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,790 a year
Common questions
How much do Recreation Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $36,560 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,600 and the highest-paid 10% more than $50,410.
How many people work as Recreation Workers?
About 331,490 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.