Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Colorado make a median of $38,820 a year, or about $18.67 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $37,431 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 67.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $39K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Recreation workers pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 69.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in Colorado
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $40K | +2% | 3,110 |
| Boulder | $39K | +1% | 370 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $38K | -2% | 350 |
| Colorado Springs | $38K | -3% | 520 |
| Greeley | $37K | -4% | 230 |
| Grand Junction | $34K | -12% | 190 |
| Pueblo | $32K | -18% | 160 |
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 69.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreation workers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,137/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is recreation worker a high-paying job in Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Colorado pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Colorado?
The median is $38,820 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,080, and experienced recreation workers can clear $53,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,627/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 69.7% 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 recreation workers salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median recreation workers salary is worth about $37,431 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do recreation workers 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.