Recreation Workers pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,050 a year or less, while the top 10% make $61,520 or more. The middle half of recreation workers in San Jose earn between $44,830 and $61,520.
- $40K10th
- $45K25th
- $58KMedian
- $62K75th
- $62K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,750 | $4,562 | $26.32 |
| Median | $57,580 | $4,798 | $27.68 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,830 | $3,736 | $21.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $61,520 | $5,127 | $29.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Recreation Workers pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Recreation workers in San Jose earn 26% more than the California average ($43,530) and 42% more than the U.S. average ($38,520). At the median the gap is +57% against the U.S. median of $36,560.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $54,750 | $57,580 | $40,050 | $61,520 | 2,620 |
| California | $43,530 | $39,780 | $35,900 | $56,150 | 48,560 |
| United States | $38,520 | $36,560 | $27,600 | $50,410 | 331,490 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Recreation Workers salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $54,750, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $44,694 a year, or $3,725 a month and $1,719 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for recreation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $54,750 buys what about $49,582 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 29.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Recreation Workers salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 25 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$54,750
- San Francisco$48,810
- Napa$45,860
- Santa Maria$45,460
- Santa Rosa$44,760
- Santa Cruz$43,410
- Sacramento$42,820
- Yuba City$42,790
- San Diego$42,610
- Vallejo$42,490
Highest-paying cities for recreation workers
Fairbanks, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($61,070).
- Fairbanks, AK$61,070
- San Jose, CA$54,750
- San Francisco, CA$48,810
- Seattle, WA$47,840
- Bozeman, MT$47,520
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Recreation Workers salary in San Jose: questions
How much do recreation workers make an hour in San Jose?
$26.32 an hour on average, and $27.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level recreation workers salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,050 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,830, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the recreation workers take-home pay in San Jose?
About $44,694 a year ($3,725 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,750. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do recreation workers earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 42% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,520).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 39-9032; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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