Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Amusement and Recreation Attendants (SOC 39-3091) earn a median $32,150 a year ($15.46 an hour) in the United States, with 397,830 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What amusement and recreation attendants do
Amusement and recreation attendants carry out varied attending jobs at amusement and recreation facilities. Typical tasks are selling tickets and taking fees, telling patrons about the facility, entertainment choices, and rules, and steering people to rides, seats, or attractions. They know the shutdown and emergency evacuation procedures, watch activities to make sure rules and safety practices are obeyed, and arrange to have unruly patrons removed. Some set the schedule for using recreation facilities, supply and maintain gear for participants in sports or recreation, or run amusement concessions and rides. Attendants log attendance, sales, receipts, reservations, or repairs, and they keep equipment inventories, storing and retrieving items and putting equipment together or taking it apart as needed. O*NET titles such as amusement park worker, animal ride attendant, and activities attendant show how varied the settings are.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the usual education level (about 64 percent).
Also called: Activities Attendant, Alley Worker, Amusement Attendant, Amusement Card Checker, Amusement Park Worker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.75 | $13.30 | $15.46 | $17.59 | $20.43 | $15.69 | 397,830 |
| Annual | $22,350 | $27,660 | $32,150 | $36,590 | $42,490 | $32,640 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where amusement and recreation attendants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $15.73 | $18.70 | $21.96 | $22.49 | $26.20 | $21.11 | 340 | 1.04 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $32,720 | $38,890 | $45,680 | $46,790 | $54,500 | $43,910 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.15 | $14.99 | $19.19 | $23.70 | $26.59 | $20.30 | 3,950 | 6.29 | 2.46 |
| Annual | $29,430 | $31,170 | $39,920 | $49,300 | $55,310 | $42,230 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.50 | $17.98 | $18.25 | $18.27 | $20.78 | $19.00 | 200 | 0.29 | 0.11 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $37,390 | $37,960 | $38,010 | $43,220 | $39,510 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.73 | $17.25 | $18.17 | $20.70 | $23.07 | $19.41 | 7,000 | 1.97 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $34,790 | $35,880 | $37,790 | $43,060 | $47,980 | $40,370 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.56 | $17.01 | $17.79 | $18.68 | $21.66 | $18.55 | 56,920 | 3.13 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $34,440 | $35,380 | $37,000 | $38,850 | $45,050 | $38,580 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.56 | $17.01 | $17.79 | $18.68 | $21.66 | $18.55 | 56,920 | 3.13 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $34,440 | $35,380 | $37,000 | $38,850 | $45,050 | $38,580 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.17 | $13.80 | $14.74 | $16.26 | $18.53 | $15.53 | 45,540 | 4.59 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $27,390 | $28,710 | $30,670 | $33,820 | $38,540 | $32,300 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $9.69 | $10.51 | $12.78 | $14.75 | $17.55 | $13.29 | 28,360 | 2.02 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $20,140 | $21,860 | $26,570 | $30,680 | $36,500 | $27,650 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $9.23 | $10.63 | $13.51 | $16.20 | $17.63 | $13.57 | 17,470 | 2.88 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $19,200 | $22,100 | $28,090 | $33,700 | $36,670 | $28,220 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.50 | $16.22 | $17.45 | $18.60 | $23.26 | $18.55 | 14,620 | 1.51 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $33,740 | $36,300 | $38,680 | $48,390 | $38,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $15.99 | $16.92 | $23.57 | $24.69 | $28.73 | $22.76 | 710 | 9.68 | 3.78 |
| Annual | $33,260 | $35,190 | $49,020 | $51,360 | $59,750 | $47,330 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $15.73 | $18.69 | $22.01 | $22.11 | $25.90 | $21.20 | 170 | 0.99 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $32,720 | $38,880 | $45,780 | $46,000 | $53,860 | $44,100 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $18.38 | $19.20 | $20.60 | $21.57 | $23.43 | $20.93 | 2,860 | 2.52 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $38,240 | $39,940 | $42,850 | $44,860 | $48,730 | $43,530 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $14.06 | $18.26 | $19.90 | $21.78 | $28.12 | $20.11 | 40 | 1.15 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $29,240 | $37,980 | $41,390 | $45,310 | $58,480 | $41,820 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $17.29 | $18.54 | $19.30 | $20.81 | $22.56 | $20.01 | 5,800 | 2.45 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $35,960 | $38,560 | $40,140 | $43,290 | $46,930 | $41,620 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.79 | $17.31 | $18.09 | $18.22 | $21.81 | $18.50 | 22,410 | 3.57 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $34,930 | $35,990 | $37,630 | $37,900 | $45,370 | $38,470 | ||||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Hourly | $14.03 | $14.74 | $14.88 | $14.88 | $18.21 | $15.68 | 20,030 | 14.19 | 5.55 |
| Annual | $29,170 | $30,670 | $30,940 | $30,940 | $37,890 | $32,610 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.66 | $16.50 | $17.26 | $18.18 | $22.02 | $18.23 | 18,420 | 1.94 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $32,580 | $34,320 | $35,910 | $37,820 | $45,800 | $37,910 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $13.71 | $16.23 | $18.27 | $18.44 | $22.15 | $18.12 | 9,590 | 3.06 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $28,510 | $33,760 | $38,000 | $38,360 | $46,060 | $37,690 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $16.43 | $17.54 | $18.98 | $16.80 | 9,340 | 2.07 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $34,170 | $36,480 | $39,480 | $34,950 | ||||
Top industries employing amusement and recreation attendants
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries employ 51.3% of amusement and recreation attendants nationally (204,010 jobs) at a median $31,060 a year ($14.93 an hour), followed by Amusement Parks and Arcades (17.6%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (10.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 204,010 | 51.3% | $31,060 | $14.93 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades NAICS 713100 | 70,190 | 17.6% | $31,290 | $15.04 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 41,160 | 10.3% | $33,130 | $15.93 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 15,860 | 4.0% | $35,090 | $16.87 |
| Spectator Sports NAICS 711200 | 10,600 | 2.7% | $35,170 | $16.91 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (397,830). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $24,500 for amusement and recreation attendants in May 2021 and $32,150 in May 2025, with employment of 262,170 and 397,830.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $24,500 | $11.78 | 262,170 |
| May 2022 | $27,780 | $13.36 | 324,580 |
| May 2023 | $29,390 | $14.13 | 361,680 |
| May 2024 | $30,490 | $14.66 | 371,590 |
| May 2025 | $32,150 | $15.46 | 397,830 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $21.96 | $45,680 | $32,720 | $54,500 | 340 | 1.04 | 0.40 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $19.19 | $39,920 | $29,430 | $55,310 | 3,950 | 6.29 | 2.46 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $18.25 | $37,960 | $36,400 | $43,220 | 200 | 0.29 | 0.11 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $18.17 | $37,790 | $34,790 | $47,980 | 7,000 | 1.97 | 0.77 |
| 5 | California profile | $17.79 | $37,000 | $34,440 | $45,050 | 56,920 | 3.13 | 1.22 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $17.65 | $36,710 | $31,200 | $44,860 | 9,200 | 3.33 | 1.30 |
| 7 | New York profile | $17.45 | $36,300 | $32,240 | $48,390 | 14,620 | 1.51 | 0.59 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $17.20 | $35,770 | $30,880 | $46,950 | 10,820 | 3.77 | 1.47 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $17.02 | $35,400 | $31,210 | $42,020 | 3,150 | 1.60 | 0.63 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $16.99 | $35,330 | $30,800 | $44,240 | 1,230 | 1.92 | 0.75 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $16.97 | $35,290 | $30,670 | $44,680 | 800 | 2.65 | 1.04 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | $16.76 | $34,860 | $34,010 | $45,030 | 2,440 | 1.44 | 0.56 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $16.59 | $34,500 | $32,220 | $40,110 | 14,060 | 3.28 | 1.28 |
| 14 | Massachusetts profile | $16.56 | $34,440 | $31,200 | $38,840 | 5,460 | 1.50 | 0.59 |
| 15 | Arizona profile | $16.14 | $33,570 | $30,790 | $45,010 | 6,930 | 2.14 | 0.84 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $15.75 | $32,770 | $31,200 | $38,520 | 11,660 | 1.91 | 0.75 |
| 17 | Rhode Island profile | $15.01 | $31,220 | $31,200 | $43,880 | 760 | 1.51 | 0.59 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $15.01 | $31,210 | $22,580 | $42,870 | 1,220 | 1.79 | 0.70 |
| 19 | Delaware profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,900 | 1,360 | 2.81 | 1.10 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $14.86 | $30,910 | $25,900 | $44,830 | 9,390 | 2.28 | 0.89 |
| 21 | Minnesota profile | $14.82 | $30,830 | $23,920 | $44,240 | 7,880 | 2.67 | 1.04 |
| 22 | Florida profile | $14.74 | $30,670 | $27,390 | $38,540 | 45,540 | 4.59 | 1.79 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $14.68 | $30,530 | $21,900 | $39,000 | 2,010 | 2.35 | 0.92 |
| 24 | Wisconsin profile | $14.51 | $30,180 | $20,630 | $47,050 | 5,450 | 1.85 | 0.72 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $14.48 | $30,110 | $28,080 | $38,970 | 2,620 | 2.56 | 1.00 |
| 26 | Nevada profile | $14.39 | $29,940 | $24,960 | $41,440 | 7,680 | 4.95 | 1.93 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | $14.32 | $29,790 | $28,600 | $37,470 | 8,080 | 2.75 | 1.08 |
| 28 | South Dakota profile | $14.29 | $29,730 | $26,730 | $35,440 | 1,850 | 4.05 | 1.58 |
| 29 | Montana profile | $14.28 | $29,710 | $23,300 | $39,340 | 1,890 | 3.69 | 1.44 |
| 30 | New Mexico profile | $14.02 | $29,160 | $26,450 | $38,670 | 1,700 | 1.95 | 0.76 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $13.79 | $28,690 | $21,060 | $37,310 | 4,820 | 1.47 | 0.57 |
| 32 | Wyoming profile | $13.78 | $28,660 | $21,130 | $46,380 | 760 | 2.71 | 1.06 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $13.74 | $28,580 | $25,960 | $37,500 | 11,720 | 2.66 | 1.04 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania profile | $13.51 | $28,090 | $19,200 | $36,670 | 17,470 | 2.88 | 1.13 |
| 35 | North Dakota profile | $13.49 | $28,070 | $23,950 | $36,030 | 1,430 | 3.34 | 1.30 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $13.46 | $28,000 | $19,830 | $44,230 | 6,960 | 4.01 | 1.57 |
| 37 | Indiana profile | $13.31 | $27,680 | $20,490 | $36,410 | 6,740 | 2.11 | 0.82 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $13.19 | $27,430 | $21,340 | $34,750 | 5,050 | 3.24 | 1.26 |
| 39 | Kentucky profile | $13.08 | $27,210 | $18,150 | $40,950 | 3,190 | 1.59 | 0.62 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $13.00 | $27,040 | $17,890 | $39,260 | 8,740 | 3.79 | 1.48 |
| 41 | Ohio profile | $12.97 | $26,980 | $22,500 | $35,330 | 11,780 | 2.12 | 0.83 |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | $12.91 | $26,850 | $23,470 | $30,510 | 2,250 | 1.72 | 0.67 |
| 43 | North Carolina profile | $12.83 | $26,680 | $18,130 | $37,380 | 14,120 | 2.86 | 1.12 |
| 44 | Texas profile | $12.78 | $26,570 | $20,140 | $36,500 | 28,360 | 2.02 | 0.79 |
| 45 | Kansas profile | $12.70 | $26,410 | $20,930 | $40,560 | 4,240 | 2.95 | 1.15 |
| 46 | Georgia profile | $12.56 | $26,120 | $17,600 | $36,240 | 8,770 | 1.79 | 0.70 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $12.13 | $25,230 | $20,910 | $37,830 | 800 | 1.14 | 0.45 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $11.16 | $23,210 | $17,270 | $34,080 | 6,740 | 3.19 | 1.25 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $11.14 | $23,160 | $17,590 | $28,640 | 2,400 | 2.07 | 0.81 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $10.90 | $22,680 | $18,450 | $30,380 | 2,850 | 1.47 | 0.58 |
| 51 | Oklahoma profile | $10.60 | $22,040 | $17,670 | $32,560 | 2,430 | 1.42 | 0.56 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (39-3090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-3091 Amusement and Recreation Attendants.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-3091, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-3091.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.