Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in South Carolina make a median of $31,420 a year, or about $15.1 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $33,723 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 58.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $31K get you in South Carolina?
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for recreation workers in South Carolina runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 56.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (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, South Carolina
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $37K | +16% | 1,060 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $36K | +14% | 280 |
| Florence | $33K | +6% | 140 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $31K | -1% | 600 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $30K | -4% | 890 |
| Columbia | $30K | -4% | 880 |
| Sumter | $30K | -5% | N/A |
| Spartanburg | $28K | -10% | 380 |
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 56.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/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 South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,263/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 100% 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 South Carolina?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $31K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for recreation workers?
South Carolina pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in South Carolina?
The median is $31,420 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,050, and experienced recreation workers can clear $48,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,240/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 56.4% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $33,723 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.