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Best states for a Recreation Aide
Quoted Expert
Dr. Jon McChesney
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for recreation aides? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for recreation aide jobs.Although there are abundant recreation aide jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Maine is the best state in the country for recreation aide jobs.
The median salary for recreation aides in Maine is $35,925. Compare that to the median salary in Louisiana of $18,353, which ranked worst for recreation aides, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for recreation aides, and the Northeast is the worst. Bellingham, WA is the best city in the country for recreation aide jobs, where as Maine is the best state in the country.
10 best states for recreation aides in 2025
1. Maine
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 112 Average Annual Salary: $35,925 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $31,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.452. West Virginia
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 114 Average Annual Salary: $36,416 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $28,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.293. Massachusetts
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 540 Average Annual Salary: $37,668 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $31,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.014. Mississippi
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 110 Average Annual Salary: $36,588 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $28,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.895. Wyoming
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 34 Average Annual Salary: $35,458 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $27,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.986. Alaska
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 83 Average Annual Salary: $33,527 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $30,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.717. North Dakota
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 53 Average Annual Salary: $33,543 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $27,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.988. Vermont
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 41 Average Annual Salary: $34,971 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $30,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.929. New York
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 940 Average Annual Salary: $34,288 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $27,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.2610. Rhode Island
Total Recreation Aide Jobs: 64 Average Annual Salary: $34,006 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $28,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
Recreation Aide JobsNear Ashburn, VA
How Zippia determines the best states to be a recreation aide
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a recreation aide
| Rank | State | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $35,925 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 112 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $36,416 | $28,000 | 1,815,857 | 114 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $37,668 | $31,000 | 6,859,819 | 540 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $36,588 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 110 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $35,458 | $27,000 | 579,315 | 34 |
| 6 | Alaska | $33,527 | $30,000 | 739,795 | 83 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $33,543 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 53 |
| 8 | Vermont | $34,971 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 41 |
| 9 | New York | $34,288 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 940 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $34,006 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 64 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $30,966 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 821 |
| 12 | Washington | $35,377 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 323 |
| 13 | Indiana | $28,968 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 793 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $30,671 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 525 |
| 15 | Oregon | $34,605 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 191 |
| 16 | Montana | $29,865 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 129 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $31,754 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 50 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $32,950 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 164 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $28,974 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 169 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $33,268 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 62 |
| 21 | Idaho | $31,031 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 85 |
| 22 | Maryland | $32,058 | $25,000 | 6,052,177 | 352 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $32,580 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 59 |
| 24 | Delaware | $31,670 | $25,000 | 961,939 | 56 |
| 25 | Michigan | $27,196 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 799 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $30,364 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 554 |
| 27 | Illinois | $28,725 | $22,000 | 12,802,023 | 830 |
| 28 | Georgia | $28,259 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 641 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $26,989 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 592 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $32,354 | $25,000 | 693,972 | 40 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $25,844 | $20,000 | 5,795,483 | 403 |
| 32 | California | $31,358 | $24,000 | 39,536,653 | 990 |
| 33 | Ohio | $26,062 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 570 |
| 34 | Iowa | $24,437 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 317 |
| 35 | Alabama | $26,869 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 206 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $24,988 | $19,000 | 6,715,984 | 353 |
| 37 | Missouri | $26,040 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 298 |
| 38 | Colorado | $27,497 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 265 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $22,841 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 277 |
| 40 | Arizona | $26,492 | $20,000 | 7,016,270 | 251 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $25,531 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 221 |
| 42 | Kansas | $22,334 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 268 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $22,880 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 173 |
| 44 | Florida | $25,798 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 663 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $23,799 | $18,000 | 2,088,070 | 98 |
| 46 | Virginia | $25,118 | $19,000 | 8,470,020 | 370 |
| 47 | Utah | $23,238 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 145 |
| 48 | Texas | $19,707 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,127 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $20,378 | $15,000 | 3,004,279 | 91 |
| 50 | Nevada | $17,509 | $13,000 | 2,998,039 | 80 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $18,353 | $13,000 | 4,684,333 | 102 |
Highest paying states for recreation aides
| Rank | State | Avg. Recreation Aide Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $35,925 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $36,416 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $37,668 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $36,588 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $35,458 |
| 6 | Alaska | $33,527 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $33,543 |
| 8 | Vermont | $34,971 |
| 9 | New York | $34,288 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $34,006 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $30,966 |
| 12 | Washington | $35,377 |
| 13 | Indiana | $28,968 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $30,671 |
| 15 | Oregon | $34,605 |
| 16 | Montana | $29,865 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $31,754 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $32,950 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $28,974 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $33,268 |
| 21 | Idaho | $31,031 |
| 22 | Maryland | $32,058 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $32,580 |
| 24 | Delaware | $31,670 |
| 25 | Michigan | $27,196 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $30,364 |
| 27 | Illinois | $28,725 |
| 28 | Georgia | $28,259 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $26,989 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $32,354 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $25,844 |
| 32 | California | $31,358 |
| 33 | Ohio | $26,062 |
| 34 | Iowa | $24,437 |
| 35 | Alabama | $26,869 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $24,988 |
| 37 | Missouri | $26,040 |
| 38 | Colorado | $27,497 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $22,841 |
| 40 | Arizona | $26,492 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $25,531 |
| 42 | Kansas | $22,334 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $22,880 |
| 44 | Florida | $25,798 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $23,799 |
| 46 | Virginia | $25,118 |
| 47 | Utah | $23,238 |
| 48 | Texas | $19,707 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $20,378 |
| 50 | Nevada | $17,509 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $18,353 |
Expert opinions on the best states for recreation aides
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Recreation Aides to find work opportunities?
Dr. Jon McChesney
Department Chair & Graduate Coordinator, Eastern Kentucky University
Typically, graduates have good job opportunities throughout the United States, given the magnitude of the industry. For example, event planning was a 33% growth industry, and in 2019 tourism employed one in every ten people on Earth! Covid-19 has had a profound impact on recreation, parks, and tourism, but there will be a recovery. We are currently seeing a resurgence in outdoor recreation and people experiencing parks throughout the country. Graduates will need to continue to nurture their professional network and be patient with the current job's climate.
Recreation Aide best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025