SOC 39-9032 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Recreation Workers — Trenton
Trenton-Princeton, NJ · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Recreation Workers in Trenton, NJ is $33,420 per year, 8.6% below the national median of $36,560.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.1%
- Openings per year
- 68,100
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Recreation Workers in Trenton, NJ is $33,420 per year, 8.6% below the national median of $36,560. Half of workers earn between $32,220 and $39,710. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $32,220 and the ninetieth at $46,080.
Employment stands at 400, or 1.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Vineland records the highest median at $35,700. Of the 434 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 430th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,220 | −11.9% |
| 25th | $32,220 | −11.9% |
| Median (50th) | $33,420 | −8.6% |
| 75th | $39,710 | +8.6% |
| 90th | $46,080 | +26.0% |
| Mean | $36,970 | +1.1% |
Other metro areas in New Jersey
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vineland | $35,700 | 60 | |
| 2 | Atlantic City | $34,900 | 490 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Trenton run 3.2% above the national average, so the median of $33,420 buys what $32,384 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 11.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$33,420as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$32,384US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $33,420 a year, 8.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,220 to $46,080 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 400 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Vineland, at $35,700.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Recreation Workers in Trenton, NJ?
The median annual wage is $33,420, or $16.07 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $36,560, so pay in Trenton, NJ is 8.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Trenton, NJ earns more than $46,080 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,220 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Vineland, at $35,700 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 400 jobs in this occupation in Trenton, NJ. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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