Amusement and Recreation Attendants Salary
The median pay for a amusement and recreation attendants in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $27,470/year ($13.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $28,154 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 86.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $27K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About amusement and recreation attendants
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for amusement and recreation attendants in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $32K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 89.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for amusement and recreation attendantss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for amusement and recreation attendants in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $29K | $30K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $29K | $30K |
| Wilmington | $22K | $23K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $24K | $25K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level amusement and recreation attendants (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $27K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Amusement and Recreation Attendants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Amusement and Recreation Attendants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $46K | +42% | 340 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +24% | 3,950 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +18% | 200 |
| Washington | $38K | +18% | 7,000 |
| California | $37K | +15% | 56,920 |
| Maryland | $37K | +14% | 9,200 |
| New York | $36K | +13% | 14,620 |
| Colorado | $36K | +11% | 10,820 |
| Oregon | $35K | +10% | 3,150 |
| Maine | $35K | +10% | 1,230 |
| Vermont | $35K | +10% | 800 |
| Connecticut | $35K | +8% | 2,440 |
| New Jersey | $35K | +7% | 14,060 |
| Massachusetts | $34K | +7% | 5,460 |
| Arizona | $34K | +4% | 6,930 |
| Illinois | $33K | +2% | 11,660 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | -3% | 760 |
| New Hampshire | $31K | -3% | 1,220 |
| Delaware | $31K | -3% | 1,360 |
| Virginia | $31K | -4% | 9,390 |
| Minnesota | $31K | -4% | 7,880 |
| Florida | $31K | -5% | 45,540 |
| Idaho | $31K | -5% | 2,010 |
| Wisconsin | $30K | -6% | 5,450 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -6% | 2,620 |
| Nevada | $30K | -7% | 7,680 |
| Missouri | $30K | -7% | 8,080 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -8% | 1,850 |
| Montana | $30K | -8% | 1,890 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -9% | 1,700 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -11% | 4,820 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -11% | 760 |
| Michigan | $29K | -11% | 11,720 |
| Pennsylvania | $28K | -13% | 17,470 |
| North Dakota | $28K | -13% | 1,430 |
| Utah | $28K | -13% | 6,960 |
| Indiana | $28K | -14% | 6,740 |
| Iowa | $27K | -15% | 5,050 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -15% | 3,190 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -16% | 8,740 |
| Ohio | $27K | -16% | 11,780 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -16% | 2,250 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -17% | 14,120 |
| Texas | $27K | -17% | 28,360 |
| Kansas | $26K | -18% | 4,240 |
| Georgia | $26K | -19% | 8,770 |
| West Virginia | $25K | -22% | 800 |
| Alabama | $23K | -28% | 6,740 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -28% | 2,400 |
| Louisiana | $23K | -29% | 2,850 |
| Oklahoma | $22K | -31% | 2,430 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track amusement and recreation attendants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a amusement and recreation attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $27K, rent takes 89.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for amusement and recreation attendants in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new amusement and recreation attendants typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,128/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 152% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is amusement and recreation attendant a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $27K here vs. $32K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for amusement and recreation attendants?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $27K median vs. the U.S. average of $32K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $28K — below the national median.
How much do amusement and recreation attendants make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $27,470 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,800, and experienced amusement and recreation attendants can clear $38,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $27K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,906/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 89.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a amusement and recreation attendants salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median amusement and recreation attendants salary is worth about $28,154 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do amusement and recreation attendants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.