Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Lancaster, PA make a mean (average) of $35,640 a year, or about $17.13 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.26), that's roughly $36,271 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,526/month, about 61.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K (mean) get you in Lancaster?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lancaster’s Regional Price Parity (98.26). 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 Lancaster
Recreation workers pay in Lancaster tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,526/month, which is 61.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.26) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreation workers in metros near Lancaster, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $36K | $35K |
| Pittsburgh | $36K | $38K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $35K | $35K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $35K | $35K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lancaster, PA
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $21K 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 Lancaster numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lancaster?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 61.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,526/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 Lancaster?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,570/month. At HUD’s $1,526/month FMR, rent would take 97% 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 Lancaster?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Lancaster compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Lancaster pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.26), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Lancaster, PA?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $35,640 a year for this occupation in Lancaster, PA. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $26,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Lancaster?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,465/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,526/month, which eats 61.9% 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 Lancaster?
Lancaster has a Regional Price Parity of 98.26 (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 $36,271 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.