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Best states for a recreation assistant
Quoted expert
Dr. Jon McChesney
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for recreation assistants in the United States. Recreation assistant positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for recreation assistants.Our research found that Wyoming is the best state for recreation assistants, while West Virginia and Wyoming are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Wyoming has a median salary of $40,538 and West Virginia has the highest median salary among all 50 states for recreation assistants.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for recreation assistants.We found that Wyoming is the best state for recreation assistant jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.
10 best states for recreation assistants in 2026
1. Wyoming
Total recreation assistant jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $40,538 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.78
2. West Virginia
Total recreation assistant jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $40,609 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
3. North Dakota
Total recreation assistant jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $38,284 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
4. Mississippi
Total recreation assistant jobs: 44 Average annual salary: $40,249 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
5. Massachusetts
Total recreation assistant jobs: 185 Average annual salary: $40,296 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
6. Alaska
Total recreation assistant jobs: 42 Average annual salary: $38,500 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 2.55
7. Wisconsin
Total recreation assistant jobs: 113 Average annual salary: $38,263 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
8. Washington
Total recreation assistant jobs: 126 Average annual salary: $40,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
9. New York
Total recreation assistant jobs: 355 Average annual salary: $38,465 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
10. Nebraska
Total recreation assistant jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $35,961 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
Recreation assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a recreation assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a recreation assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $40,538 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 21 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $40,609 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 32 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $38,284 | $29,000 | 755,393 | 29 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $40,249 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 44 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $40,296 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 185 |
| 6 | Alaska | $38,500 | $34,000 | 739,795 | 42 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $38,263 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 113 |
| 8 | Washington | $40,248 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 126 |
| 9 | New York | $38,465 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 355 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $35,961 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 46 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $37,457 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 136 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $38,010 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 28 |
| 13 | Montana | $35,306 | $26,000 | 1,050,493 | 34 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $36,177 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 73 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $45,182 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 8 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $35,783 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 179 |
| 17 | Oregon | $38,670 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 49 |
| 18 | Colorado | $33,649 | $22,000 | 5,607,154 | 170 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $37,241 | $27,000 | 869,666 | 12 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $37,144 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 14 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $36,137 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 25 |
| 22 | Vermont | $37,902 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 7 |
| 23 | Idaho | $34,937 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 26 |
| 24 | Michigan | $30,841 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 183 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $32,381 | $22,000 | 12,805,537 | 210 |
| 26 | California | $34,909 | $22,000 | 39,536,653 | 511 |
| 27 | Delaware | $35,656 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 12 |
| 28 | Maine | $34,633 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 17 |
| 29 | Ohio | $27,883 | $19,000 | 11,658,609 | 344 |
| 30 | Arizona | $29,033 | $18,000 | 7,016,270 | 143 |
| 31 | Maryland | $33,236 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 107 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $31,276 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 136 |
| 33 | Illinois | $30,428 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 214 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $26,994 | $17,000 | 5,024,369 | 98 |
| 35 | Utah | $24,913 | $16,000 | 3,101,833 | 110 |
| 36 | Missouri | $30,227 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 80 |
| 37 | Iowa | $28,237 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 56 |
| 38 | Indiana | $28,434 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 78 |
| 39 | Florida | $25,959 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 331 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $27,506 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 73 |
| 41 | Texas | $24,829 | $16,000 | 28,304,596 | 415 |
| 42 | Virginia | $27,531 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 146 |
| 43 | Kansas | $25,269 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 55 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $25,338 | $16,000 | 3,930,864 | 54 |
| 45 | Nevada | $22,582 | $14,000 | 2,998,039 | 72 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $25,427 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 53 |
| 47 | Georgia | $23,851 | $15,000 | 10,429,379 | 203 |
| 48 | Alabama | $24,513 | $16,000 | 4,874,747 | 62 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $23,588 | $15,000 | 2,088,070 | 29 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $22,665 | $15,000 | 3,004,279 | 40 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $20,179 | $13,000 | 4,684,333 | 44 |
Highest paying states for recreation assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Recreation Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $40,538 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $40,609 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $38,284 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $40,249 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $40,296 |
| 6 | Alaska | $38,500 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $38,263 |
| 8 | Washington | $40,248 |
| 9 | New York | $38,465 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $35,961 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $37,457 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $38,010 |
| 13 | Montana | $35,306 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $36,177 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $45,182 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $35,783 |
| 17 | Oregon | $38,670 |
| 18 | Colorado | $33,649 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $37,241 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $37,144 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $36,137 |
| 22 | Vermont | $37,902 |
| 23 | Idaho | $34,937 |
| 24 | Michigan | $30,841 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $32,381 |
| 26 | California | $34,909 |
| 27 | Delaware | $35,656 |
| 28 | Maine | $34,633 |
| 29 | Ohio | $27,883 |
| 30 | Arizona | $29,033 |
| 31 | Maryland | $33,236 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $31,276 |
| 33 | Illinois | $30,428 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $26,994 |
| 35 | Utah | $24,913 |
| 36 | Missouri | $30,227 |
| 37 | Iowa | $28,237 |
| 38 | Indiana | $28,434 |
| 39 | Florida | $25,959 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $27,506 |
| 41 | Texas | $24,829 |
| 42 | Virginia | $27,531 |
| 43 | Kansas | $25,269 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $25,338 |
| 45 | Nevada | $22,582 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $25,427 |
| 47 | Georgia | $23,851 |
| 48 | Alabama | $24,513 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $23,588 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $22,665 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $20,179 |
Expert opinions on the best states for recreation assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for recreation assistants 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.
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Updated January 8, 2025