Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Louisiana make a median of $28,580 a year, or about $13.74 an hour. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $32,745 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 58.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Louisiana?
About recreation workers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for recreation workers in Louisiana runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 59% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for recreation workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $34K | +20% | 900 |
| Hammond | $31K | +9% | 90 |
| Alexandria | $30K | +5% | 50 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $29K | +2% | 240 |
| Baton Rouge | $29K | +0% | 540 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $27K | -6% | 80 |
| Lake Charles | $26K | -8% | 90 |
| Lafayette | $26K | -9% | 150 |
| Monroe | $24K | -15% | 80 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $23K | -21% | 190 |
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 59% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/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 recreation workers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,158/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 103% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $29K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Louisiana pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Louisiana?
The median is $28,580 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $19,300, and experienced recreation workers can clear $45,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,017/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 59% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $32,745 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.