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Recreation manager salary
Average recreation manager salary
$47,007
Understanding Recreation Manager Salaries
A Recreation Manager typically earns an average salary of $47,007 annually in the United States. The salary range varies significantly based on several factors, such as geographical location, industry, and level of experience. For example, recreation managers in metropolitan areas often receive higher pay compared to those in rural settings.
In terms of industry, those working in government or educational settings generally earn less than their counterparts in private sectors, such as sports management or recreational facilities. Experience also plays a crucial role; managers with extensive backgrounds can command salaries at the higher end of the spectrum.
To maximize potential earnings, professionals in this field should consider pursuing roles in states known for higher compensation, such as California and New York. Additionally, specialization in areas like sports administration or community planning can open doors to higher-paying opportunities. For those interested in advancing their careers, continuous education and networking within the industry are vital.
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Where can a Recreation Manager earn more?
Recreation manager salary estimates from across the web
Average recreation manager salary by state
The average recreation manager salary in Mississippi, Washington, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average recreation manager salary states are Kansas, Kentucky, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for recreation managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $54,557 | $26.23 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $57,923 | $27.85 |
| 3 | Washington | $56,482 | $27.15 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $50,855 | $24.45 |
| 5 | Mississippi | $61,634 | $29.63 |
| 6 | New York | $50,800 | $24.42 |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,756 | $26.81 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $55,754 | $26.80 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $53,518 | $25.73 |
| 10 | California | $53,685 | $25.81 |
| 11 | Texas | $46,606 | $22.41 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $51,406 | $24.71 |
| 13 | Delaware | $50,651 | $24.35 |
| 14 | Nevada | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $49,182 | $23.65 |
| 16 | Idaho | $51,817 | $24.91 |
| 17 | Colorado | $48,947 | $23.53 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $43,995 | $21.15 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $48,645 | $23.39 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $48,739 | $23.43 |
| 21 | Arizona | $44,662 | $21.47 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $43,771 | $21.04 |
| 23 | Georgia | $42,033 | $20.21 |
| 24 | Alabama | $44,526 | $21.41 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $44,172 | $21.24 |
| 26 | Montana | $43,346 | $20.84 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $43,543 | $20.93 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $40,440 | $19.44 |
| 29 | Maine | $43,767 | $21.04 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $42,322 | $20.35 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $40,466 | $19.45 |
| 32 | Maryland | $40,828 | $19.63 |
| 33 | Utah | $39,146 | $18.82 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $42,671 | $20.51 |
| 36 | Florida | $39,504 | $18.99 |
| 37 | Illinois | $38,228 | $18.38 |
| 38 | Michigan | $38,167 | $18.35 |
| 39 | Virginia | $39,599 | $19.04 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $35,389 | $17.01 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $39,023 | $18.76 |
| 42 | Indiana | $37,495 | $18.03 |
| 43 | Vermont | $41,523 | $19.96 |
| 44 | Missouri | $36,046 | $17.33 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $38,520 | $18.52 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $35,458 | $17.05 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $36,008 | $17.31 |
| 48 | Kansas | $35,780 | $17.20 |
| 49 | Ohio | $33,267 | $15.99 |
| 50 | Iowa | $35,371 | $17.01 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $31,583 | $15.18 |
Highest paying cities for recreation managers
The highest-paying cities for recreation managers are Olympia, WA, Sunnyvale, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympia, WA | $58,567 | $28.16 |
| 2 | Sunnyvale, CA | $57,301 | $27.55 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $51,231 | $24.63 |
| 4 | Centennial, CO | $48,981 | $23.55 |
| 5 | Reno, NV | $47,118 | $22.65 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $44,802 | $21.54 |
| 7 | Missoula, MT | $44,694 | $21.49 |
| 8 | Opelika, AL | $44,231 | $21.26 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $44,177 | $21.24 |
| 10 | Miami, FL | $39,854 | $19.16 |
| 11 | Carmel, IN | $37,432 | $18.00 |
| 12 | Memphis, TN | $36,120 | $17.37 |
| 13 | Wentzville, MO | $35,963 | $17.29 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $34,262 | $16.47 |
| 15 | Shreveport, LA | $31,773 | $15.28 |
Recreation manager salary details
A recreation manager's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a recreation manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $47,007 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying recreation manager jobs
The highest paying types of recreation managers are senior counselor, program lead, and group leader.
| 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 |
| Activities Director | $44,982 | $3,748 | $21.63 | 6,845 |
| Camp Director | $38,675 | $3,223 | $18.59 | 8,983 |
| Program Lead | $100,727 | $8,394 | $48.43 | 61,632 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for recreation managers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Ariel Rodríguez Ph.D., CPRP
Associate Professor, Recreation Management Program Director, Springfield College
Source
Top companies hiring recreation managers now:
Which companies pay recreation managers the most?
Recreation manager salaries at St. John's Episcopal Hospital and Wequassett Resort and Golf Club are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average recreation manager salary at companies like City of Reno and EXOS are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. John's Episcopal Hospital | $62,433 | $30.02 |
| 2 | Wequassett Resort and Golf Club | $49,101 | $23.61 |
| 3 | City of Reno | $47,253 | $22.72 |
| 4 | EXOS | $45,088 | $21.68 |
| 5 | Artesia | $44,668 | $21.48 |
| 6 | Aimbridge Hospitality | $43,842 | $21.08 |
| 7 | City of Wentzville | $42,767 | $20.56 |
| 8 | Grand Sierra Resort | $41,573 | $19.99 |
| 9 | Pyramid Hotel Group | $41,396 | $19.90 |
| 10 | Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation | $40,804 | $19.62 |
| 11 | Hyatt Hotels | $39,389 | $18.94 |
| 12 | Firstservice Residential California, Inc. | $39,004 | $18.75 |
| 13 | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | $38,928 | $18.72 |
| 14 | PCH Hotels & Resorts | $38,923 | $18.71 |
| 15 | Montage Hotels & Resorts | $38,681 | $18.60 |
| 16 | University of Montana | $37,914 | $18.23 |
| 17 | Volunteers of America-Greater New York | $37,572 | $18.06 |
| 18 | Marriott International | $37,315 | $17.94 |
| 19 | Job Corps | $36,932 | $17.76 |
| 20 | Delaware North | $36,042 | $17.33 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Recreation Manager salary by industry
The average recreation manager salary varies across industries:
- The average recreation manager salary in the hospitality industry is $41,106, the highest of any industry.
- The average recreation manager salary in the finance industry is $41,044.
- Recreation managers in the health care industry earn an average salary of $37,875, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for recreation managers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $41,106 | $19.76 |
| 2 | Government | $41,044 | $19.73 |
| 3 | Education | $40,969 | $19.70 |
| 4 | Health Care | $37,875 | $18.21 |
High paying recreation manager jobs
Recreation manager salary trends
The average recreation manager salary has risen by $10,429 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average recreation manager earned $36,578 annually, but today, they earn $47,007 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for recreation managers over the last decade.
Compare recreation manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average recreation manager salary over time
Compare recreation manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Recreation manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $47,000 | $22.60 | +7.3% |
| 2024 | $43,600 | $20.94 | +4.9% |
| 2023 | $41,400 | $19.91 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $40,600 | $19.50 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $39,500 | $18.97 | +2.3% |
Recently added recreation manager salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott International | Recreation Manager | Longboat Key, FL | 06/23/2025 | $52,050 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Recreation Manager | Longboat Key, FL | 06/23/2025 | $52,050 |
| Oak Brook Park District | Recreation Manager-Athletics | Oak Brook, IL | 06/21/2025 | $59,425 |
| EXOS | Sports & Recreation Manager | Rochester, NY | 06/19/2025 | $45,142 |
| Firstservice Corporation | Recreation Staff | Kissimmee, FL | 06/17/2025 | $31,305 |
| Marriott International | Recreation Manager Pool Complex | Phoenix, AZ | 06/10/2025 | $56,182 |
| Get It-Hospitality | Recreation Manager | Kihei, HI | 06/10/2025 | $71,000 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Recreation Manager Pool Complex | Phoenix, AZ | 06/10/2025 | $56,182 |
| MTC | Manager, Residential Living/Recreation | San Diego, CA | 06/07/2025 | $64,480 |
| Rite of Passage Brand | Recreation Manager | Miami, FL | 06/03/2025 | $41,740 |
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