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Salary comparison

Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling vs. General and Operations Managers: Who Earns More?

General and Operations Managers out-earn Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling by $26K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling land at $79,520 and General and Operations Managers at $105,770. The education gap is real: entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling programs typically require bachelor's degree, while general and operations manager programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling is District of Columbia ($113,930); for General and Operations Managers it's New Jersey ($173,690).

Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
General and Operations Managers
Median salary
$79,520
$105,770
Hourly rate
$38.23/hr
$50.85/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$46,270
$50,090
Senior level (90th %)
$139,110
$253,390
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
37,980
3,503,020
Job growth (10-year)
7.7%
4.4%
Category
Management
Management
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
New Jersey

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling median pay.

State
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
General and Operations Managers
District of Columbia
$113,930
$168,000
New York
$98,390
$130,860
Colorado
$97,000
$131,840
Washington
$96,790
$133,750
New Jersey
$89,590
$173,690
Massachusetts
$89,450
$127,220
Rhode Island
$88,750
$117,380
Maryland
$81,220
$117,930
New Hampshire
$80,090
$124,680
California
$79,550
$124,390
Connecticut
$78,010
$137,220
Wisconsin
$77,140
$118,730
South Dakota
$76,000
$137,400
Virginia
$74,800
$122,080
Alaska
$70,700
$116,630

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling or General and Operations Managers?

General and Operations Managers earn more nationally. The median is $79,520 for Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling versus $105,770 for General and Operations Managers, a difference of $26K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling or General and Operations Managers?

Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling has the better 10-year outlook at 7.7% projected growth, compared to 4.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling or General and Operations Managers?

Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling typically requires bachelor's degree. General and Operations Managers requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling at $113,930/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling vs. General and Operations Managers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling earn $113,930 vs. $168,000 for General and Operations Managers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling salary breakdownView →Full General and Operations Managers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling by take-home payExplore →Best cities for General and Operations Managers by take-home payExplore →How to become a entertainment and recreation managers, except gamblingGuide →How to become a general and operations managersGuide →