Recreation Workers pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,180 a year or less, while the top 10% make $50,640 or more. The middle half of recreation workers in Madison earn between $31,340 and $42,990.
- $28K10th
- $31K25th
- $34KMedian
- $43K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,420 | $3,118 | $17.99 |
| Median | $34,030 | $2,836 | $16.36 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,340 | $2,612 | $15.07 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,990 | $3,582 | $20.67 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Recreation Workers pay in Madison vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Recreation workers in Madison earn about the same as the Wisconsin average ($37,400) and about the same as the U.S. average ($38,520). At the median the gap is -7% against the U.S. median of $36,560.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $37,420 | $34,030 | $28,180 | $50,640 | 970 |
| Wisconsin | $37,400 | $35,530 | $26,440 | $50,980 | 6,840 |
| 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 Madison
On the average salary of $37,420, a single filer in Madison takes home about $31,290 a year, or $2,608 a month and $1,203 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Madison a good place for recreation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $37,420 buys what about $38,464 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 12.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Recreation Workers salary in other Wisconsin cities
Madison ranks 8th of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Kenosha pays the most ($40,940).
- Kenosha$40,940
- Oshkosh$39,250
- Wausau$38,970
- Janesville$38,950
- Milwaukee$38,260
- Racine$38,260
- Appleton$37,440
- Madison$37,420
- Sheboygan$36,170
- Eau Claire$36,070
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 Madison: questions
How much do recreation workers make an hour in Madison?
$17.99 an hour on average, and $16.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level recreation workers salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,180 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the recreation workers take-home pay in Madison?
About $31,290 a year ($2,608 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,420.
Do recreation workers earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Madison, WI (31540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.12, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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