Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Recreation worker salary
Average recreation worker salary
$13.33
Average Recreation Worker Salary
The average salary for a Recreation Worker is approximately $27,731 per year, translating to about $13 per hour. This salary can vary significantly depending on geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works. For instance, those employed in metropolitan areas often earn more than their counterparts in rural settings.
Where Can Recreation Workers Earn More?
Some states offer higher salaries for Recreation Workers. For example, states such as California and New York often feature compensation rates that exceed the national average. Additionally, pursuing specialized roles, such as program directors or recreation managers, can lead to increased earnings, with salaries reaching upwards of $50,000 in some cases.
Job Opportunities and Career Growth
Recreation Workers find employment in various settings, including parks and recreation departments, fitness centers, and community organizations. With further education or certifications, career advancement opportunities abound, allowing workers to transition into higher-paying administrative roles or specialized areas like therapeutic recreation.
Let Zippi find your next recreation worker job
Let Zippi find your next recreation worker job
Where can a Recreation Worker earn more?
Recreation worker salary estimates from across the web
Average recreation worker salary by state
The average recreation worker salary in Minnesota, Mississippi, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average recreation worker salary states are Kansas, Nevada, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for recreation workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $36,121 | $17.37 |
| 2 | Mississippi | $39,475 | $18.98 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $31,835 | $15.31 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $33,744 | $16.22 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $39,987 | $19.22 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $35,271 | $16.96 |
| 7 | Florida | $33,549 | $16.13 |
| 8 | New York | $39,139 | $18.82 |
| 9 | Alaska | $36,549 | $17.57 |
| 10 | Washington | $32,484 | $15.62 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $36,066 | $17.34 |
| 12 | Maine | $38,223 | $18.38 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $33,066 | $15.90 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $32,772 | $15.76 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $35,788 | $17.21 |
| 16 | Vermont | $35,394 | $17.02 |
| 17 | Delaware | $31,276 | $15.04 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $34,359 | $16.52 |
| 19 | California | $32,187 | $15.47 |
| 20 | Idaho | $30,348 | $14.59 |
| 21 | Alabama | $28,985 | $13.94 |
| 22 | Colorado | $30,682 | $14.75 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $32,409 | $15.58 |
| 24 | Oregon | $29,505 | $14.19 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $28,097 | $13.51 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $34,421 | $16.55 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $31,693 | $15.24 |
| 28 | Texas | $28,402 | $13.65 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $26,709 | $12.84 |
| 30 | Montana | $29,906 | $14.38 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $26,546 | $12.76 |
| 32 | Georgia | $27,580 | $13.26 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $27,889 | $13.41 |
| 34 | Michigan | $27,370 | $13.16 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $23,495 | $11.30 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $24,569 | $11.81 |
| 37 | Illinois | $28,089 | $13.50 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $22,691 | $10.91 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $24,220 | $11.64 |
| 40 | Arizona | $25,969 | $12.49 |
| 41 | Missouri | $23,924 | $11.50 |
| 42 | Indiana | $25,895 | $12.45 |
| 43 | Utah | $22,523 | $10.83 |
| 44 | Virginia | $24,350 | $11.71 |
| 45 | Iowa | $25,186 | $12.11 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $19,741 | $9.49 |
| 47 | Maryland | $25,236 | $12.13 |
| 48 | Nevada | $23,293 | $11.20 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $23,488 | $11.29 |
| 50 | Kansas | $23,408 | $11.25 |
| 51 | Ohio | $22,625 | $10.88 |
Highest paying cities for recreation workers
The highest-paying cities for recreation workers are Fridley, MN, Andover, MA, and Casper, WY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fridley, MN | $40,080 | $19.27 |
| 2 | Andover, MA | $36,123 | $17.37 |
| 3 | Casper, WY | $35,299 | $16.97 |
| 4 | Orlando, FL | $33,371 | $16.04 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $32,462 | $15.61 |
| 6 | Visalia, CA | $31,892 | $15.33 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $30,773 | $14.79 |
| 8 | Bozeman, MT | $29,738 | $14.30 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $29,416 | $14.14 |
| 10 | Rock Island, IL | $27,428 | $13.19 |
| 11 | Aiken, SC | $26,524 | $12.75 |
| 12 | Tucson, AZ | $26,014 | $12.51 |
| 13 | Charlottesville, VA | $24,217 | $11.64 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $24,175 | $11.62 |
| 15 | Johnson City, TN | $23,636 | $11.36 |
Recreation worker salary details
A recreation worker's salary ranges from $20,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a recreation worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| Average | $27,731 | $2,311 | $13 |
| 25th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
Highest paying recreation worker jobs
The highest paying types of recreation workers are senior counselor, program lead, and group leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Camp Counselor | $29,384 | $2,449 | $14.13 | 32,895 |
| Camp Counselor | $24,340 | $2,028 | $11.70 | 28,182 |
| Program Lead | $100,727 | $8,394 | $48.43 | 61,632 |
| Summer Camp Counselor | $25,618 | $2,135 | $12.32 | 31,954 |
| Activities Director | $44,982 | $3,748 | $21.63 | 6,845 |
| Activities Leader | $30,329 | $2,527 | $14.58 | 35,544 |
Top companies hiring recreation workers now:
Which companies pay recreation workers the most?
Recreation worker salaries at Andover Public Schools and Clemson University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average recreation worker salary at companies like Vanderheyden and MINACT are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andover Public Schools | $34,057 | $16.37 |
| 2 | Clemson University | $32,781 | $15.76 |
| 3 | Vanderheyden | $29,756 | $14.31 |
| 4 | MINACT | $29,001 | $13.94 |
| 5 | Aramark | $28,509 | $13.71 |
| 6 | Coconino Community College | $28,081 | $13.50 |
| 7 | City of Bozeman | $27,856 | $13.39 |
| 8 | Oasis Day Spa | $27,856 | $13.39 |
| 9 | Minnesota Limited | $27,784 | $13.36 |
| 10 | City of Portland | $26,162 | $12.58 |
| 11 | City of Tucson | $25,901 | $12.45 |
| 12 | City and County of Denver Government | $25,833 | $12.42 |
| 13 | City of Visalia | $25,662 | $12.34 |
| 14 | State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia | $25,637 | $12.33 |
| 15 | City of Falls Church | $25,381 | $12.20 |
| 16 | Indiana State Police | $25,344 | $12.18 |
| 17 | City of Louisville | $25,203 | $12.12 |
| 18 | City Of Johnson City | $24,814 | $11.93 |
| 19 | City of Casselberry | $24,795 | $11.92 |
| 20 | City of Orlando | $24,388 | $11.72 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Recreation Worker salary by industry
The average recreation worker salary varies across industries:
- The average recreation worker salary in the professional industry is $33,647, the highest of any industry.
- The average recreation worker salary in the finance industry is $31,288.
- Recreation workers in the government industry earn an average salary of $25,375, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for recreation workers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $33,647 | $16.18 |
| 2 | Health Care | $31,288 | $15.04 |
| 3 | Education | $28,332 | $13.62 |
| 4 | Government | $25,375 | $12.20 |
High paying recreation worker jobs
Recreation worker salary trends
The average recreation worker salary has risen by $6,152 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average recreation worker earned $21,579 annually, but today, they earn $27,731 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for recreation workers over the last decade.
Compare recreation worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average recreation worker salary over time
Compare recreation worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Recreation worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,700 | $13.33 | +7.3% |
| 2024 | $25,700 | $12.35 | +4.9% |
| 2023 | $24,400 | $11.75 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $23,900 | $11.50 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $23,300 | $11.19 | +2.3% |
Recently added recreation worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Wichita Falls, Tx | Recreation Operations Worker | Wichita Falls, TX | 06/26/2025 | $29,322 |
| Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend | Recreation Worker THA (ALL Programs) | Taft, TX | 06/26/2025 | $25,044 |
| City of Leavenworth, Ks | Temp Recreation Worker/Facility Supervisor | Leavenworth, KS | 06/26/2025 | $27,131 |
| Sac and Fox Tribe of Iowa | Recreation Worker | Tama, IA | 06/26/2025 | $33,392 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Adventure Recreation Worker | Wilmington, NC | 06/11/2025 | $37,566 |
| Milwaukee County (Wi | Park Worker II Seasonal-Recreation | Milwaukee, WI | 06/10/2025 | $20,620 |
| City of Covington (Ky | Recreation Seasonal Laborer (41625) | Covington, KY | 05/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| City of Hobbs, Nm | Teen Recreation Worker | Hobbs, NM | 05/29/2025 | $31,159 |
| Milwaukee County (Wi | Park Worker II Seasonal-Recreation | Milwaukee, WI | 05/23/2025 | $20,620 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Adventure Recreation Worker | Wilmington, NC | 05/16/2025 | $37,566 |
Recreation worker salary FAQs
Search for recreation worker jobs