Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in New Mexico make a median of $31,900 a year, or about $15.34 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $34,279 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 51.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in New Mexico?
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Pay for recreation workers in New Mexico runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,119/month, which is 49.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, New Mexico
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in New Mexico
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | $39K | +23% | 40 |
| Las Cruces | $39K | +23% | 50 |
| Farmington | $36K | +12% | 40 |
| Albuquerque | $27K | -17% | 520 |
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 49.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/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 New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,591/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 New Mexico?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $32K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for recreation workers?
New Mexico pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in New Mexico?
The median is $31,900 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,510, and experienced recreation workers can clear $52,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,258/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 49.6% 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 New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (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 $34,279 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.