Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Iowa make a median of $33,700 a year, or about $16.2 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $37,925 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 46.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Iowa?
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Recreation workers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 46.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $37K | +9% | 80 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $36K | +7% | 630 |
| Sioux City | $36K | +6% | 110 |
| Iowa City | $32K | -6% | 180 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | -7% | 290 |
| Ames | $31K | -8% | 240 |
| Cedar Rapids | $30K | -12% | 310 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $30K | -12% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 46.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreation workers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,465/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Iowa pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Iowa?
The median is $33,700 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,420, and experienced recreation workers can clear $46,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,302/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 46.2% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 recreation workers salary is worth about $37,925 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.