Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Assistant recreation director salary
Average assistant recreation director salary
$47,941
Understanding the Assistant Recreation Director Salary
The Assistant Recreation Director position is crucial for community engagement, focusing on planning and implementing recreation programs. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role is $47,941 per year, translating to about $23 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary Variations by State
In states like California and New York, compensation can be higher due to the cost of living and demand for recreational services. For instance, the highest paying states often offer salaries exceeding the national average, which is essential for job seekers considering relocation.
Top Cities for Assistant Recreation Directors
Urban areas with robust community programs tend to provide some of the best salaries. Cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York regularly feature among the highest paying locations for recreational professionals. These cities not only offer competitive salaries but also vibrant job markets.
Opportunities for Advancement
As professionals gain experience and further their education, they may qualify for higher-paying positions such as Recreation Director or Program Manager, significantly increasing their earning potential.
Let Zippia find your next assistant recreation director job
Let Zippia find your next assistant recreation director job
Where can an Assistant Recreation Director earn more?
Average assistant recreation director salary by state
The highest-paying states for assistant recreation directors are Mississippi, California, and Oregon. The lowest average assistant recreation director salary states are Missouri, Kentucky, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for assistant recreation directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $55,902 | $26.88 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $61,264 | $29.45 |
| 3 | California | $58,951 | $28.34 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $64,745 | $31.13 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $50,950 | $24.50 |
| 6 | Washington | $56,897 | $27.35 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $53,436 | $25.69 |
| 8 | Oregon | $58,386 | $28.07 |
| 9 | Nevada | $49,180 | $23.64 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $50,176 | $24.12 |
| 11 | Alabama | $45,961 | $22.10 |
| 12 | Alaska | $47,589 | $22.88 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $51,373 | $24.70 |
| 14 | Arizona | $48,859 | $23.49 |
| 15 | Colorado | $47,254 | $22.72 |
| 16 | Idaho | $52,678 | $25.33 |
| 17 | Delaware | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $49,159 | $23.63 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $41,128 | $19.77 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $50,847 | $24.45 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $47,297 | $22.74 |
| 22 | New York | $46,652 | $22.43 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $44,811 | $21.54 |
| 24 | Texas | $45,042 | $21.65 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $41,783 | $20.09 |
| 26 | Georgia | $43,154 | $20.75 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $45,365 | $21.81 |
| 28 | Illinois | $44,453 | $21.37 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $46,624 | $22.42 |
| 30 | Utah | $40,511 | $19.48 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $38,956 | $18.73 |
| 32 | Montana | $40,801 | $19.62 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $38,645 | $18.58 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $40,618 | $19.53 |
| 35 | Maine | $43,943 | $21.13 |
| 36 | Virginia | $43,806 | $21.06 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $43,614 | $20.97 |
| 38 | Florida | $41,826 | $20.11 |
| 39 | Vermont | $41,574 | $19.99 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $34,096 | $16.39 |
| 41 | Maryland | $42,015 | $20.20 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $37,224 | $17.90 |
| 43 | Michigan | $37,646 | $18.10 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $35,721 | $17.17 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $35,128 | $16.89 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $36,195 | $17.40 |
| 47 | Indiana | $36,403 | $17.50 |
| 48 | Missouri | $35,259 | $16.95 |
| 49 | Kansas | $35,123 | $16.89 |
| 50 | Iowa | $33,834 | $16.27 |
| 51 | Ohio | $32,839 | $15.79 |
Highest paying cities for assistant recreation directors
The highest-paying cities for assistant recreation directors are Bellevue, WA, Wall, NJ, and Milford, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellevue, WA | $57,461 | $27.63 |
| 2 | Wall, NJ | $54,004 | $25.96 |
| 3 | Milford, CT | $51,972 | $24.99 |
| 4 | Providence, RI | $50,597 | $24.33 |
| 5 | Newton, MA | $49,891 | $23.99 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $47,200 | $22.69 |
| 7 | San Angelo, TX | $45,944 | $22.09 |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | $43,060 | $20.70 |
| 9 | West Palm Beach, FL | $42,214 | $20.30 |
| 10 | Johnson City, TN | $36,545 | $17.57 |
| 11 | Springfield, MO | $36,118 | $17.36 |
| 12 | Ames, IA | $33,710 | $16.21 |
Assistant recreation director salary details
An assistant recreation director's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $77,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an assistant recreation director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| Average | $47,941 | $3,995 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying assistant recreation director jobs
The highest paying types of assistant recreation directors are senior counselor, director, and program lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Camp Counselor | $25,618 | $2,135 | $12.32 | 31,954 |
| Day Camp Counselor | $29,384 | $2,449 | $14.13 | 32,895 |
| Camp Counselor | $24,340 | $2,028 | $11.70 | 28,182 |
| Group Leader | $100,480 | $8,373 | $48.31 | 56,173 |
| Program Lead | $100,727 | $8,394 | $48.43 | 61,632 |
| Activities/Volunteer | $32,875 | $2,740 | $15.81 | 4,126 |
Top companies hiring assistant recreation directors now:
Which companies pay assistant recreation directors the most?
Assistant recreation director salaries at Emory University and PSEA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assistant recreation director salary at companies like Bellevue, Kentucky and Emory Healthcare are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory University | $64,754 | $31.13 |
| 2 | PSEA | $57,290 | $27.54 |
| 3 | Bellevue, Kentucky | $52,262 | $25.13 |
| 4 | Emory Healthcare | $52,214 | $25.10 |
| 5 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $51,924 | $24.96 |
| 6 | Providence College | $51,769 | $24.89 |
| 7 | Iowa State University | $47,042 | $22.62 |
| 8 | City of Houston | $45,900 | $22.07 |
| 9 | University of Tennessee | $45,372 | $21.81 |
| 10 | City Of Johnson City | $42,901 | $20.63 |
| 11 | Missouri State University | $42,868 | $20.61 |
| 12 | CareOne | $42,137 | $20.26 |
| 13 | West Texas A&M University | $41,921 | $20.15 |
| 14 | City of Renton | $41,352 | $19.88 |
| 15 | Palm Beach Atlantic University | $34,346 | $16.51 |
| 16 | The Woodlands Township | $34,143 | $16.41 |
| 17 | Western State College of Law | $30,147 | $14.49 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Assistant Recreation Director salary by industry
The average assistant recreation director salary varies across industries:
- The average assistant recreation director salary in the education industry is $42,738, the highest of any industry.
- The average assistant recreation director salary in the finance industry is $42,541.
- Assistant recreation directors in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $33,191, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for assistant recreation directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $42,738 | $20.55 |
| 2 | Government | $42,541 | $20.45 |
| 3 | Health Care | $40,052 | $19.26 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $35,182 | $16.91 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $33,191 | $15.96 |
High paying assistant recreation director jobs
Assistant recreation director salary trends
The average assistant recreation director salary has risen by $10,637 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assistant recreation director earned $37,304 annually, but today, they earn $47,941 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for assistant recreation directors over the last decade.
Compare assistant recreation director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average assistant recreation director salary over time
Compare assistant recreation director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Assistant recreation director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,900 | $23.05 | +7.3% |
| 2025 | $44,400 | $21.35 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $42,200 | $20.31 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $41,400 | $19.89 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $40,200 | $19.34 | +2.3% |
Recently added assistant recreation director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas State University | Assistant Director of Recreation and Well-Being | Salina, KS | 05/23/2025 | $47,500 |
| Xavier University | Assistant Director of Recreational Sports for Club Sports 999051 | Cincinnati, OH | 05/14/2025 | $52,305 |
| St. John's University (New York | Assistant Director of Campus Recreation | New York, NY | 05/08/2025 | $64,350 |
| Department of The Air Force | Recreation Assistant Lifeguard | Cannon Air Force Base, NM | 04/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Hofstra University | Assistant Director of Campus Recreation | Hempstead, NY | 04/22/2025 | $58,500 |
| The Catholic University of America | Assistant Director, Fitness, Recreation Sports & Wellness | Washington, DC | 04/15/2025 | $53,000 |
| Staff and Faculty | Assistant Director-Campus Recreation, Intramurals and Club Sports | Ithaca, NY | 03/26/2025 | $60,500 |
| Ithaca College | Assistant Director-Campus Recreation, Intramurals and Club Sports | Ithaca, NY | 03/22/2025 | $60,500 |
| Genesis Healthcare LLC | Assistant Recreation Director | Beckley, WV | 03/13/2025 | $27,131 |
| University of Mississippi | Assistant Director of Campus Recreation-Outdoors | University, MS | 02/19/2025 | $42,640 |
Assistant recreation director salary FAQs
Search for assistant recreation director jobs