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Ride operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$32,150median pay per year, or $15.46 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $22,350lowest 10% earn less
  2. $27,66025th percentile
  3. $32,150median
  4. $36,59075th percentile
  5. $42,490top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Amusement and recreation attendants, the BLS group that includes ride operators, had a median pay of $32,150 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects about 100,400 openings a year[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.7%[5]
Openings per year
100,400[2]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do ride operators make?

BLS counts ride operators in a wider group called amusement and recreation attendants. The median pay for the group was $32,150 a year, or $15.46 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $32,640 a year, or $15.69 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $22,350 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $27,660[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $36,590, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $42,490[3]. Hourly, those marks were $10.75, $13.30, $17.59 and $20.43[8].

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 397,830 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Alaska had the highest median at $45,680, followed by Hawaii at $39,920 and the District of Columbia at $37,960[12]. Oklahoma had the lowest at $22,040[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Kahului-Wailuku, HI had the highest median at $49,020, then Anchorage, AK at $45,780 and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $42,850[13].

The most jobs were in California (56,920), Florida (45,540), Texas (28,360), Pennsylvania (17,470) and New York (14,620)[14]. Among metros, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had 22,410 jobs with a median of $37,630[15]. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford had 20,030 jobs with a median of $30,940[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[12]$45,680340
Hawaii$39,9203,950
District of Columbia$37,960200
Washington$37,7907,000
California$37,00056,920
Maryland$36,7109,200
New York$36,30014,620
Colorado$35,77010,820
Oregon$35,4003,150
Maine$35,3301,230
Vermont$35,290800
Connecticut$34,8602,440
New Jersey$34,50014,060
Massachusetts$34,4405,460
Arizona$33,5706,930
Illinois$32,77011,660
Rhode Island$31,220760
New Hampshire$31,2101,220
Delaware$31,2001,360
Virginia$30,9109,390
Minnesota$30,8307,880
Florida$30,67045,540
Idaho$30,5302,010
Wisconsin$30,1805,450
Nebraska$30,1102,620
Nevada$29,9407,680
Missouri$29,7908,080
South Dakota$29,7301,850
Montana$29,7101,890
New Mexico$29,1601,700
Tennessee$28,6904,820
Wyoming$28,660760
Michigan$28,58011,720
Pennsylvania$28,09017,470
North Dakota$28,0701,430
Utah$28,0006,960
Indiana$27,6806,740
Iowa$27,4305,050
Kentucky$27,2103,190
South Carolina$27,0408,740
Ohio$26,98011,780
Arkansas$26,8502,250
North Carolina$26,68014,120
Texas$26,57028,360
Kansas$26,4104,240
Georgia$26,1208,770
West Virginia$25,230800
Alabama$23,2106,740
Mississippi$23,1602,400
Louisiana$22,6802,850
Oklahoma$22,0402,430

How to become a ride operator

The facts describe a low barrier to entry.

In an O*NET survey of 22 workers, 64% said the job requires less than a high school diploma and 32% said a high school diploma or equivalent[16]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture. Our facts do not give the exact length of training or name any license, age rule or certification.

What amusement and recreation attendants do

These workers carry out a mix of attending duties at amusement or recreation facilities. They may schedule facility use, provide equipment, or run concessions and rides[17]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:

Workers report job titles such as ride operator, coaster attendant and recreation aide[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 408,400 to 423,600 jobs, a gain of 15,200[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[20]. The projection counts include self-employed workers, who made up 0.8% of the group in 2025[5][21].

BLS expects about 100,400 openings a year on average[2]. Openings include jobs created when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[2]. Each year, 10% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 13.8% to move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path asks for no formal credential and no related experience, with short training on the job[6]. Median pay of $32,150 is below the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][4]. Growth is projected at about the same pace as all occupations[5][20]. Many openings come from workers who leave or switch jobs[2][22].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a ride operator make an hour?
The median for amusement and recreation attendants was $15.46 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $15.69[1][7].
What education do you need to be a ride operator?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry level, with no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is ride operator work in demand?
BLS projects 3.7% growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 100,400 openings a year[5][2].
Which state pays amusement and recreation attendants the most?
Alaska had the highest median annual wage at $45,680, then Hawaii at $39,920[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Amusement and Recreation Attendants in the US was $32,150 per year and $15.46 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: about 100,400 openings for Amusement and Recreation Attendants are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Amusement and Recreation Attendants: 10th percentile $22,350, 25th percentile $27,660, 75th percentile $36,590, 90th percentile $42,490. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Amusement and Recreation Attendants is projected to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 408,400 to 423,600 jobs (a change of +15,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Amusement and Recreation Attendants: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Amusement and Recreation Attendants was $32,640 per year and $15.69 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Amusement and Recreation Attendants: 10th percentile $10.75, 25th percentile $13.30, 75th percentile $17.59, 90th percentile $20.43. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 397,830 people were employed as Amusement and Recreation Attendants in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Amusement and Recreation Attendants in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Amusement and Recreation Attendants (areas with at least 100 jobs): Kahului-Wailuku, HI $49,020; Anchorage, AK $45,780; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $42,850; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $40,140; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $39,330; Vallejo, CA $38,580; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $38,000; Napa, CA $37,820. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Amusement and Recreation Attendants jobs: California 56,920; Florida 45,540; Texas 28,360; Pennsylvania 17,470; New York 14,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Amusement and Recreation Attendants jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 22,410 (median $37,630); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 20,030 (median $30,940); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 18,420 (median $35,910); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 9,590 (median $38,000); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 9,340 (median $34,170); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,490 (median $28,080). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 39-3091.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 64%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 32% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Amusement and Recreation Attendants. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Amusement and Recreation Attendants. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 39-3091.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Activities Attendant, Coaster Attendant, Golf Course Ranger, Golf Course Starter, Recreation Aide, Recreation Attendant, Recreation Clerk, Ride Operator. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections: 0.8% of Amusement and Recreation Attendants were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Amusement and Recreation Attendants: 10% of workers leave the labor force each year and 13.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.