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Best states for a recreation director
Quoted expert
Katherine Jordan Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for recreation directors in the United States. Recreation director 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 directors.Our research shows that Mississippi is the best state in the country for recreation directors.
The median salary for recreation directors in Mississippi is $64,195. Compare that to the median salary in Indiana of $33,097, which ranked worst for recreation directors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Mississippi is the best state, and Windsor is the city with the highest pay for recreation directors.
10 best states for recreation directors in 2025
1. Mississippi
Total recreation director jobs: 319 Average annual salary: $64,195 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 6.532. California
Total recreation director jobs: 659 Average annual salary: $68,888 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 0.983. New York
Total recreation director jobs: 397 Average annual salary: $58,328 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.344. District of Columbia
Total recreation director jobs: 50 Average annual salary: $60,996 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 1.295. Arizona
Total recreation director jobs: 101 Average annual salary: $58,906 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.756. Wyoming
Total recreation director jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $51,821 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.027. Oregon
Total recreation director jobs: 56 Average annual salary: $59,402 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 0.598. Nevada
Total recreation director jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $49,486 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.089. Alaska
Total recreation director jobs: 31 Average annual salary: $49,290 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.6110. North Carolina
Total recreation director jobs: 169 Average annual salary: $49,020 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
Recreation director jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a recreation director
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a recreation director
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $64,195 | $40,000 | 2,984,100 | 319 |
| 2 | California | $68,888 | $38,000 | 39,536,653 | 659 |
| 3 | New York | $58,328 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 397 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $60,996 | $36,000 | 693,972 | 50 |
| 5 | Arizona | $58,906 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 101 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $51,821 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 14 |
| 7 | Oregon | $59,402 | $33,000 | 4,142,776 | 56 |
| 8 | Nevada | $49,486 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 52 |
| 9 | Alaska | $49,290 | $32,000 | 739,795 | 31 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $49,020 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 169 |
| 11 | Alabama | $45,783 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 523 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $51,266 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 56 |
| 13 | Washington | $51,724 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 112 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $49,182 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 213 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $55,974 | $35,000 | 1,815,857 | 6 |
| 16 | Delaware | $53,789 | $31,000 | 961,939 | 7 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $50,532 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 10 |
| 18 | Idaho | $51,019 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 6 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $46,257 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 186 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $48,375 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 19 |
| 21 | Colorado | $43,931 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 137 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $41,573 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 45 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $45,105 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 156 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $45,559 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 26 |
| 25 | Texas | $42,348 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 361 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $39,086 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 477 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $41,469 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 82 |
| 28 | Maryland | $47,671 | $28,000 | 6,052,177 | 83 |
| 29 | Utah | $40,902 | $24,000 | 3,101,833 | 71 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $39,094 | $29,000 | 755,393 | 18 |
| 31 | Montana | $41,738 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 17 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $41,927 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 8 |
| 33 | Maine | $43,546 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 9 |
| 34 | Florida | $43,166 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 225 |
| 35 | Illinois | $41,096 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 199 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $43,127 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 19 |
| 37 | Vermont | $41,208 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 12 |
| 38 | Virginia | $42,944 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 150 |
| 39 | Michigan | $39,066 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 109 |
| 40 | Ohio | $38,600 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 120 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $33,751 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 503 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $37,998 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 101 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $37,175 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 77 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $35,808 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 40 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $35,347 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 57 |
| 46 | Georgia | $34,899 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 209 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $36,315 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 55 |
| 48 | Kansas | $35,395 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 42 |
| 49 | Missouri | $35,536 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 78 |
| 50 | Iowa | $34,292 | $24,000 | 3,145,711 | 43 |
| 51 | Indiana | $33,097 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 62 |
Highest paying states for recreation directors
| Rank | State | Avg. Recreation Director Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $64,195 |
| 2 | California | $68,888 |
| 3 | New York | $58,328 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $60,996 |
| 5 | Arizona | $58,906 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $51,821 |
| 7 | Oregon | $59,402 |
| 8 | Nevada | $49,486 |
| 9 | Alaska | $49,290 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $49,020 |
| 11 | Alabama | $45,783 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $51,266 |
| 13 | Washington | $51,724 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $49,182 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $55,974 |
| 16 | Delaware | $53,789 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $50,532 |
| 18 | Idaho | $51,019 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $46,257 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $48,375 |
| 21 | Colorado | $43,931 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $41,573 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $45,105 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $45,559 |
| 25 | Texas | $42,348 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $39,086 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $41,469 |
| 28 | Maryland | $47,671 |
| 29 | Utah | $40,902 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $39,094 |
| 31 | Montana | $41,738 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $41,927 |
| 33 | Maine | $43,546 |
| 34 | Florida | $43,166 |
| 35 | Illinois | $41,096 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $43,127 |
| 37 | Vermont | $41,208 |
| 38 | Virginia | $42,944 |
| 39 | Michigan | $39,066 |
| 40 | Ohio | $38,600 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $33,751 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $37,998 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $37,175 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $35,808 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $35,347 |
| 46 | Georgia | $34,899 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $36,315 |
| 48 | Kansas | $35,395 |
| 49 | Missouri | $35,536 |
| 50 | Iowa | $34,292 |
| 51 | Indiana | $33,097 |
Expert opinions on the best states for recreation directors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for recreation directors to find work opportunities?
Katherine Jordan Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Ohio University
The recreation management field truly covers such an array of work opportunities, the location really depends on what kind of work graduates are interested in. A graduate who would like to work more in camp settings, for instance, could quite literally pick and choose where they would like to be, simply because there are so many camps in existence. Within the camp world, there are also so many types of camps with different purposes and locations. A graduate who is interested in more municipal recreation will also have options because municipal recreation opportunities are all over the country as well. A graduate who is interested in working for or even owning a private business that caters to tourists can explore opportunities in areas where they are interested in living as well. We try to emphasize to our students and recent graduates that when searching for jobs, they should think about where they will be fulfilled in their job, as well as their life outside of their job. Fortunately, work in the recreation field can be rewarding, fulfilling, and you can live just about anywhere you would like and have a job in the recreation management field.
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Updated January 8, 2025