Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Utah make a median of $32,890 a year, or about $15.81 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $33,377 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 60.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $33K actually covers in Utah, month by month
About recreation workers
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What this looks like in Utah
Recreation workers pay in Utah tracks closely to the national median, $33K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 60.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers salary by metro in Utah
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. George | $36K | +9% | 280 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $33K | +0% | 2,450 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $30K | -9% | 1,110 |
| Logan | $30K | -9% | 350 |
| Ogden | $30K | -10% | 850 |
Compare to other states
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 60.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/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 Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,583/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Utah?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $33K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Utah compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Utah pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Utah?
The median is $32,890 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,520, and experienced recreation workers can clear $47,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,245/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 60.1% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $33,377 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.