Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Michigan make a median of $35,090 a year, or about $16.87 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $37,374 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 53.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Michigan?
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Recreation workers pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 53.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Michigan
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in Michigan
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City | $38K | +8% | 140 |
| Jackson | $37K | +4% | 110 |
| Battle Creek | $36K | +3% | 190 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $36K | +3% | 850 |
| Ann Arbor | $35K | +0% | 3,190 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $35K | -0% | 60 |
| Saginaw | $35K | -1% | 140 |
| Monroe | $35K | -1% | 50 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $34K | -2% | 3,350 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $34K | -3% | 410 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $34K | -5% | 440 |
| Niles | $33K | -6% | 160 |
| Flint | $33K | -7% | 300 |
| Midland | $31K | -12% | 80 |
| Bay City | $31K | -12% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 53.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,741/month. At HUD’s $1,272/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 Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Michigan pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Michigan?
The median is $35,090 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,020, and experienced recreation workers can clear $47,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,395/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 53.1% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $37,374 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.