Recreation Workers pay in California
$43,530avg. a year
$20.93 an hour · 48,560 employed
Recreation Workers in California earn an average of $43,530 a year. That is $5,010 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $38,520. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $54,750.
$39,780Median pay
$20.93Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2020
#5Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for recreation workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
12,620 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$54,750
$26.32 an hour
26,510 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$48,810
$23.47 an hour
3240 jobs
Napa, CA
$45,860
$22.05 an hour
4430 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$45,460
$21.86 an hour
5760 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$44,760
$21.52 an hour
6280 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$43,410
$20.87 an hour
72,810 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$42,820
$20.59 an hour
870 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$42,790
$20.57 an hour
94,200 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$42,610
$20.49 an hour
10550 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$42,490
$20.43 an hour
11160 jobs
Merced, CA
$42,280
$20.33 an hour
1217,850 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$41,900
$20.14 an hour
13550 jobs
Salinas, CA
$41,800
$20.10 an hour
143,380 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$41,770
$20.08 an hour
151,030 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$41,370
$19.89 an hour
16990 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$41,100
$19.76 an hour
1780 jobs
El Centro, CA
$41,060
$19.74 an hour
181,260 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$40,530
$19.49 an hour
19350 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$40,300
$19.38 an hour
20330 jobs
Visalia, CA
$40,190
$19.32 an hour
21900 jobs
Fresno, CA
$39,930
$19.20 an hour
2250 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$38,790
$18.65 an hour
23260 jobs
Redding, CA
$38,690
$18.60 an hour
24430 jobs
Chico, CA
$38,580
$18.55 an hour
251,000 jobs
Modesto, CA
$38,010
$18.27 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Recreation Workers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California recreation workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$37k$37k–$40k$40k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,520 | $18.52 |
| California | $43,530 | $20.93 |
| Oregon | $42,990 | $20.67 |
| Arizona | $39,380 | $18.93 |
| Nevada | $34,780 | $16.72 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do recreation workers make in California?
The average is $43,530 a year, and the median is $39,780. That is $5,010 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $38,520.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$20.93 an hour on average; the median is $19.12.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,750), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($48,810). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Modesto, CA ($38,010).
How does California rank?
California ranks #5 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 39-9032. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national recreation workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.