Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Pennsylvania make a median of $35,710 a year, or about $17.17 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $37,601 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 54.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Pennsylvania?
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Recreation workers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 54.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnstown | $36K | +2% | 120 |
| Pittsburgh | $36K | +1% | 1,540 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $36K | +0% | 5,160 |
| Lancaster | $36K | -0% | 490 |
| York-Hanover | $35K | -2% | 230 |
| Chambersburg | $35K | -2% | 110 |
| Lebanon | $35K | -2% | 80 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $35K | -3% | 480 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $35K | -3% | 610 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $35K | -3% | 440 |
| Altoona | $35K | -3% | 160 |
| Reading | $34K | -6% | 290 |
| Gettysburg | $33K | -6% | 40 |
| Erie | $32K | -9% | 250 |
| State College | $31K | -12% | 230 |
| Williamsport | $30K | -17% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 54.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,496/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Pennsylvania pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $35,710 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,940, and experienced recreation workers can clear $55,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,470/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 54.7% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $37,601 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.