Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI make a median of $33,510 a year, or about $16.11 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.84), which stretches that salary to about $35,333 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,162/month, about 50.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kalamazoo-Portage’s Regional Price Parity (94.84). 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 recreation workers
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What this looks like in Kalamazoo-Portage
Recreation workers pay in Kalamazoo-Portage 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 $1,162/month, which is 50.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreation workers in metros near Kalamazoo-Portage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $34K | $34K |
| Ann Arbor | $35K | $35K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $36K | $38K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $34K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Recreation Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $46K | +27% | 470 |
| Washington | $45K | +23% | 6,380 |
| South Dakota | $42K | +16% | 650 |
| Hawaii | $41K | +12% | 1,590 |
| California | $40K | +9% | 48,560 |
| Oregon | $40K | +8% | 4,640 |
| Colorado | $39K | +6% | 6,100 |
| Massachusetts | $39K | +5% | 11,280 |
| New York | $38K | +4% | 24,790 |
| Minnesota | $38K | +3% | 7,940 |
| Alaska | $38K | +3% | 630 |
| Maine | $37K | +2% | 1,260 |
| Vermont | $37K | +2% | 840 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +2% | 730 |
| Maryland | $37K | +2% | 4,350 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +1% | 2,030 |
| New Jersey | $37K | +1% | 7,550 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +0% | 5,000 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | -1% | 770 |
| Virginia | $36K | -1% | 9,260 |
| Arizona | $36K | -2% | 12,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -2% | 9,850 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | -3% | 6,840 |
| Florida | $35K | -3% | 18,010 |
| Illinois | $35K | -3% | 17,650 |
| Michigan | $35K | -4% | 10,850 |
| Montana | $35K | -4% | 800 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -5% | 1,510 |
| Missouri | $34K | -6% | 5,380 |
| Delaware | $34K | -8% | 1,230 |
| Iowa | $34K | -8% | 2,870 |
| Tennessee | $34K | -8% | 3,420 |
| Utah | $33K | -10% | 5,760 |
| Texas | $33K | -11% | 18,660 |
| North Carolina | $33K | -11% | 9,520 |
| Georgia | $33K | -11% | 8,160 |
| Ohio | $32K | -11% | 12,340 |
| Kentucky | $32K | -11% | 3,290 |
| New Mexico | $32K | -13% | 870 |
| Kansas | $32K | -13% | 2,990 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -14% | 2,380 |
| South Carolina | $31K | -14% | 5,270 |
| Wyoming | $31K | -16% | 790 |
| Indiana | $30K | -17% | 8,050 |
| Nevada | $30K | -18% | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $30K | -18% | 2,080 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -19% | 1,410 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -22% | 2,830 |
| Alabama | $28K | -22% | 4,700 |
| Mississippi | $28K | -23% | 2,220 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -24% | 1,740 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kalamazoo-Portage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kalamazoo-Portage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 50.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,162/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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,582/month. At HUD’s $1,162/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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Kalamazoo-Portage compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Kalamazoo-Portage pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
The median is $33,510 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,360, and experienced recreation workers can clear $48,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Kalamazoo-Portage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,295/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,162/month, which eats 50.6% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
Kalamazoo-Portage has a Regional Price Parity of 94.84 (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 $35,333 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.