Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling (SOC 11-9072) earn a median $79,520 a year ($38.23 an hour) in the United States, with 37,980 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling do
Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling, plan and direct the activities and operations of recreational facilities and programs. They work at recreational facilities, including cruise ships and parks. Titles include recreation director, camp director, aquatics director, and amusement park manager. Their work includes planning programs of events and schedules of activities, organizing and sometimes leading group activities such as exercise routines and athletic games, writing budgets for programs, and interviewing and hiring staff. They keep in contact with coworkers by radio or computer while a facility is in operation, and they talk with customers about events and explain facility rules and regulations. The occupation differs from recreation workers, who lead activities without managing the operation, and from gambling managers, who run casino gaming. They also calculate and record department expenses and revenue.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Amusement Park Manager, Aquatics Director, Boat Club Manager, Camp and Recreation Manager, Camp Director.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.25 | $29.36 | $38.23 | $50.37 | $66.88 | $43.15 | 37,980 |
| Annual | $46,270 | $61,060 | $79,520 | $104,770 | $139,110 | $89,750 | ||
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 entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling 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 | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $29.05 | $40.56 | $54.77 | $68.75 | $80.01 | $55.18 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $60,430 | $84,360 | $113,930 | $143,000 | $166,430 | $114,770 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $36.09 | $40.63 | $51.76 | $63.70 | $75.51 | $54.17 | 480 | 0.16 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $75,070 | $84,510 | $107,660 | $132,490 | $157,060 | $112,680 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $29.22 | $35.35 | $47.31 | $65.01 | $68.18 | $50.85 | 1,330 | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $60,780 | $73,520 | $98,390 | $135,210 | $141,810 | $105,760 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $29.03 | $36.00 | $46.63 | $64.37 | $80.42 | $52.83 | 940 | 0.33 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $60,380 | $74,880 | $97,000 | $133,880 | $167,270 | $109,890 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $34.42 | $37.86 | $46.53 | $67.80 | $88.03 | $54.72 | 630 | 0.18 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $71,590 | $78,760 | $96,790 | $141,020 | $183,100 | $113,810 | ||||
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 | $22.78 | $30.47 | $38.25 | $53.86 | $79.75 | $47.25 | 7,000 | 0.38 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $47,370 | $63,370 | $79,550 | $112,030 | $165,870 | $98,270 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $21.85 | $26.01 | $37.17 | $48.39 | $58.52 | $38.72 | 3,260 | 0.54 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $45,450 | $54,090 | $77,310 | $100,660 | $121,720 | $80,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.22 | $28.35 | $37.74 | $48.51 | $63.01 | $40.21 | 2,880 | 0.21 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $37,890 | $58,970 | $78,500 | $100,910 | $131,060 | $83,640 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.87 | $30.39 | $40.15 | $60.00 | $77.90 | $47.23 | 2,620 | 0.26 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $45,480 | $63,200 | $83,520 | $124,790 | $162,030 | $98,230 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $30.05 | $36.53 | $43.07 | $55.50 | $77.68 | $48.52 | 2,260 | 0.53 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $62,500 | $75,990 | $89,590 | $115,440 | $161,580 | $100,930 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $38.85 | $48.37 | $59.51 | $66.06 | $79.13 | $58.42 | 320 | 0.16 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $80,810 | $100,600 | $123,780 | $137,400 | $164,580 | $121,510 | ||||
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | Hourly | $31.25 | $40.48 | $57.89 | $81.36 | $121.26 | $64.14 | 90 | 0.50 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $64,990 | $84,190 | $120,410 | $169,240 | $252,230 | $133,420 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $34.60 | $38.83 | $55.77 | $70.04 | $76.80 | $56.09 | 30 | 0.25 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $71,970 | $80,760 | $116,000 | $145,680 | $159,740 | $116,660 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $35.25 | $38.45 | $51.36 | $73.23 | $94.09 | $57.30 | 400 | 0.19 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $73,320 | $79,980 | $106,830 | $152,320 | $195,710 | $119,190 | ||||
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | Hourly | $27.64 | $36.81 | $50.72 | $64.39 | $94.15 | $56.18 | 80 | 0.25 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $57,490 | $76,560 | $105,500 | $133,920 | $195,820 | $116,860 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.18 | $27.73 | $38.74 | $49.55 | $61.39 | $40.13 | 2,530 | 0.56 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $46,130 | $57,680 | $80,570 | $103,050 | $127,680 | $83,460 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $30.87 | $37.37 | $45.38 | $64.82 | $82.43 | $52.10 | 2,410 | 0.25 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $64,210 | $77,730 | $94,390 | $134,820 | $171,450 | $108,370 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $20.19 | $30.00 | $37.60 | $57.49 | $74.67 | $45.57 | 2,200 | 0.35 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $41,990 | $62,400 | $78,200 | $119,580 | $155,310 | $94,790 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.45 | $29.33 | $39.91 | $58.21 | $93.17 | $51.71 | 1,070 | 0.45 | 1.85 |
| Annual | $55,010 | $61,010 | $83,020 | $121,070 | $193,790 | $107,550 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $21.66 | $31.09 | $39.22 | $49.66 | $65.05 | $42.30 | 1,020 | 0.25 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $45,060 | $64,670 | $81,570 | $103,300 | $135,300 | $87,990 | ||||
Top industries employing entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries employ 37.1% of entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling nationally (14,100 jobs) at a median $76,450 a year ($36.76 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (22.6%) and Other Schools and Instruction (4.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 14,100 | 37.1% | $76,450 | $36.76 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 8,590 | 22.6% | $97,370 | $46.81 |
| Other Schools and Instruction NAICS 611600 | 1,850 | 4.9% | $69,300 | $33.32 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 1,510 | 4.0% | $86,560 | $41.62 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades NAICS 713100 | 1,460 | 3.8% | $77,840 | $37.42 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (37,980). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $62,000 for entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling in May 2021 and $79,520 in May 2025, with employment of 17,800 and 37,980.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $62,000 | $29.81 | 17,800 |
| May 2022 | $67,220 | $32.32 | 22,950 |
| May 2023 | $73,460 | $35.32 | 29,690 |
| May 2024 | $77,180 | $37.11 | 36,700 |
| May 2025 | $79,520 | $38.23 | 37,980 |
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
48 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 | District of Columbia profile | $54.77 | $113,930 | $60,430 | $166,430 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| 2 | Minnesota profile | $51.76 | $107,660 | $75,070 | $157,060 | 480 | 0.16 | 0.67 |
| 3 | New York profile | $47.31 | $98,390 | $60,780 | $141,810 | 1,330 | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $46.63 | $97,000 | $60,380 | $167,270 | 940 | 0.33 | 1.34 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $46.53 | $96,790 | $71,590 | $183,100 | 630 | 0.18 | 0.73 |
| 6 | Idaho profile | $45.68 | $95,020 | $54,920 | $135,730 | 110 | 0.13 | 0.53 |
| 7 | Vermont profile | $44.38 | $92,320 | $56,390 | $132,840 | 270 | 0.89 | 3.65 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $43.07 | $89,590 | $62,500 | $161,580 | 2,260 | 0.53 | 2.16 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $43.01 | $89,450 | $55,540 | $132,740 | 1,030 | 0.28 | 1.15 |
| 10 | Wyoming profile | $42.69 | $88,790 | $66,010 | $126,990 | 70 | 0.26 | 1.08 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $42.67 | $88,750 | $38,840 | $124,680 | 40 | 0.07 | 0.30 |
| 12 | Missouri profile | $40.20 | $83,620 | $48,740 | $130,830 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.52 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $40.15 | $83,520 | $45,480 | $162,030 | 2,620 | 0.26 | 1.08 |
| 14 | Georgia profile | $40.13 | $83,470 | $52,000 | $143,670 | 830 | 0.17 | 0.70 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $39.80 | $82,780 | $74,180 | $193,910 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $39.60 | $82,370 | $35,410 | $130,010 | 410 | 0.27 | 1.09 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $39.05 | $81,220 | $42,170 | $148,690 | 940 | 0.34 | 1.39 |
| 18 | Hawaii profile | $39.02 | $81,160 | $50,820 | $107,740 | 50 | 0.09 | 0.35 |
| 19 | Kentucky profile | $38.52 | $80,130 | $40,300 | $137,890 | 300 | 0.15 | 0.61 |
| 20 | New Hampshire profile | $38.51 | $80,090 | $60,010 | $122,460 | 170 | 0.25 | 1.03 |
| 21 | California profile | $38.25 | $79,550 | $47,370 | $165,870 | 7,000 | 0.38 | 1.57 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $38.17 | $79,400 | $44,210 | $140,780 | 370 | 0.21 | 0.86 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | $38.04 | $79,110 | $47,770 | $133,150 | 440 | 0.19 | 0.78 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $37.74 | $78,500 | $37,890 | $131,060 | 2,880 | 0.21 | 0.84 |
| 25 | Oklahoma profile | $37.70 | $78,420 | $36,380 | $129,260 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.23 |
| 26 | Oregon profile | $37.60 | $78,200 | $49,400 | $136,410 | 930 | 0.47 | 1.94 |
| 27 | Connecticut profile | $37.50 | $78,010 | $62,400 | $129,190 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.31 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $37.49 | $77,990 | $47,660 | $136,160 | 1,200 | 0.24 | 0.99 |
| 29 | Illinois profile | $37.17 | $77,310 | $45,450 | $121,720 | 3,260 | 0.54 | 2.19 |
| 30 | Wisconsin profile | $37.09 | $77,140 | $39,990 | $174,980 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.24 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $36.80 | $76,550 | $42,300 | $149,850 | 880 | 0.27 | 1.11 |
| 32 | South Dakota profile | $36.54 | $76,000 | $56,720 | $107,720 | 160 | 0.34 | 1.40 |
| 33 | Virginia profile | $35.96 | $74,800 | $48,920 | $149,080 | 310 | 0.08 | 0.31 |
| 34 | Alaska profile | $33.99 | $70,700 | $53,430 | $135,210 | 120 | 0.37 | 1.49 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $33.91 | $70,530 | $54,490 | $129,120 | 540 | 0.16 | 0.67 |
| 36 | Kansas profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $49,570 | $118,940 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.29 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania profile | $33.17 | $68,990 | $47,730 | $109,400 | 1,220 | 0.20 | 0.83 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $32.85 | $68,320 | $41,690 | $110,010 | 620 | 0.40 | 1.64 |
| 39 | Mississippi profile | $32.54 | $67,670 | $41,200 | $100,210 | 90 | 0.08 | 0.33 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $31.99 | $66,540 | $62,190 | $77,720 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.37 |
| 41 | Michigan profile | $31.68 | $65,890 | $40,970 | $111,480 | 1,670 | 0.38 | 1.56 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $30.42 | $63,270 | $41,970 | $105,470 | 310 | 0.31 | 1.25 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $30.17 | $62,760 | $40,900 | $112,640 | 340 | 0.11 | 0.44 |
| 44 | Louisiana profile | $30.00 | $62,390 | $45,230 | $101,660 | 90 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| 45 | Ohio profile | $28.10 | $58,440 | $39,760 | $98,250 | 1,280 | 0.23 | 0.94 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $23.87 | $49,640 | $35,010 | $91,070 | 230 | 0.18 | 0.73 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $22.75 | $47,310 | $38,940 | $71,180 | 100 | 0.14 | 0.57 |
| – | New Mexico profile | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.10 | 0.39 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (11-9070), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Management 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 11-9072 Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- 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 11-9072, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 11-9072.00, 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.