Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA make a median of $42,580 a year, or about $20.47 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $40,391 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 65.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for recreation workers, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,922/month, which is 69.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreation workers in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield | $38K | $37K |
| Salem | $38K | $36K |
| Bend | $46K | $45K |
| Medford | $37K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $24K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 69.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreation workers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,115/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $43K here vs. $37K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $42,580 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,250, and experienced recreation workers can clear $58,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,754/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 69.8% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median recreation workers salary is worth about $40,391 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.