Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the fitness and recreational sports centers industry earns $21,530 per year ($10.35/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers Workers Earn?
At $21,530/year (equivalent to $10.35/hour for a full-time worker), fitness and recreational sports centers wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical fitness and recreational sports centers business employs 14 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average fitness and recreational sports centers business generating $785K/year with 14 employees at $21,530 each, total payroll represents roughly 38.4% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a fitness and recreational sports centersbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $27,989/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 14 employees = ~$301,420/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $10.35/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $785K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do fitness and recreational sports centers employees make?
- The average fitness and recreational sports centers employee earns $21,530 per year, which is equivalent to $10.35/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the fitness and recreational sports centers industry?
- The fitness and recreational sports centers industry employs 620,848 workers across 44,125 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 14 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).