Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations · 13K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$77,270
Median hourly
$37
Average annual
$86,620
Typical range
$44,900–$134,890
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is $77,270 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $37 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Teach courses pertaining to recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, including exercise physiology and facilities management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research..
Most earn between $44,900 and $134,890 a year. There are roughly 13K people employed as recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary.
- Hourly
- $37.15
- Daily
- $297
- Weekly
- $1,486
- Bi-weekly
- $2,972
- Monthly
- $6,439
- Annual
- $77,270
$77,270 a year is around the 50th percentile for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondarys. The median is $77,270.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$127,780
- 2Maryland$97,640
- 3Massachusetts$87,960
- 4Michigan$83,690
- 5Wyoming$83,260
- 6Pennsylvania$83,150
- 7Wisconsin$80,500
- 8PR$80,500
- 9Minnesota$80,410
- 10New York$80,190
- 11Connecticut$79,200
- 12New Mexico$79,090
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$159,690
- 2Fresno, CA$137,850
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$134,190
- 4Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$131,850
- 5San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$130,420
- 6Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$106,660
- 7Pittsburgh, PA$101,550
- 8Columbia, SC$99,340
- 9Knoxville, TN$98,230
- 10Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$92,910
- 11Ithaca, NY$84,820
- 12New Haven, CT$84,190
Related job titles
Employers advertise Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary roles under these titles.
- Aquatic Instructor
- Education Programs Professional
- Exercise Instructor
- Exercise Science Instructor
- Exercise Science Professor
- Fitness and Wellness Instructor
- Fitness Studies Teacher
- Health and Human Performance Professor
- Health Professor
- Human Performance Professor
- Kinesiology Professor
- Leisure Studies Professor
- Physical Education Professor (PE Professor)
- Recreation Professor
- Recreation Teacher
- Sports Management Professor
Related occupations
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$107,310
- Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$75,870
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary$75,350
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$80,340
- Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary$94,980
- Personal Service Managers, All Other$69,770
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$77,570
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$84,620
What a Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary does
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as anatomy, therapeutic recreation, and conditioning theory.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary make?
- The median annual wage for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is $77,270 ($37 per hour). Pay ranges from about $44,900 at the 10th percentile to $134,890 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $86,620, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondarys the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $127,780.
- Is Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 13K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary do?
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.; Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.; Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records..