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America is in the middle of summer vacation season - and for many families, that means taking a trip to an amusement park. But how much do the workers who keep the roller coasters moving make?
According to that report, the amusement parks and arcades industry employed about 206,820 people in May 2018, the most recent period for which data is available. Jobs in the industry tend to be lower-paying than average: The median annual wage in the amusement parks and arcades industry was $23,640, far below the median across all industries of $38,640.
Here are all the occupations with at least 1,000 employees in the amusement parks and arcades industry, ranked from lowest to highest median annual wage, along with the number of people employed in each.
22. Waiters and waitresses make an annual salary of $19,900.
Total employed in the US: 2,140
What they do, according to O*NET: Waiters and waitresses take orders from customers and serve food and drinks at restaurants or cafes.
21. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make an annual salary of $20,130.
Total employed in the US: 8,020
What they do, according to O*NET: Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make sure people are safe in amusement parks, whether they're in the pool or on the slopes.
20. Combined food preparation and serving workers make an annual salary of $20,390.
Total employed in the US: 13,070
What they do, according to O*NET: Combined food preparation and serving workers both prepare and serve food to customers.
19. Recreation workers make an annual salary of $21,250.
Total employed in the US: 1,900
What they do, according to O*NET: Recreation workers organize and promote activities, including arts and crafts, sports, games, music, and other social activities.
18. Amusement and recreation attendants make an annual salary of $21,640.
Total employed in the US: 51,490
What they do, according to O*NET: Amusement and recreation attendants operate amusement concessions, kiosks, or rides, and maintain amusement park supplies and equipment.
17. Cashiers make an annual salary of $22,390.
Total employed in the US: 10,560
What they do, according to O*NET: Cashiers handle customers' money using cash registers or scanners.
16. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers make an annual salary of $22,630.
Total employed in the US: 2,430
What they do, according to O*NET: Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers help customers attending events or lining up for rides.
15. Cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop counter attendants make an annual salary of $22,850.
Total employed in the US: 5,410
What they do, according to O*NET: Counter attendants serve food to customers from counters or steam tables. This job category includes cafe servers, cafeteria workers, and snack bar attendants.
14. Janitors and cleaners make an annual salary of $22,890.
Total employed in the US: 7,010
What they do, according to O*NET: Janitors and cleaners keep buildings clean and orderly using equipment ranging from brooms and mops to carpet cleaners and floor waxers.
13. Tour and travel guides make an annual salary of $22,960.
Total employed in the US: 1,010
What they do, according to O*NET: Tour and travel guides escort people on sightseeing tours, giving facts and explaining their significance.
12. Retail salespersons make an annual salary of $23,550.
Total employed in the US: 7,080
What they do, according to O*NET: Retail salespersons sell merchandise at kiosks, stalls, or shops.
11. Actors make an annual salary of $24,024.*
Total employed in the US: 1,020
What they do, according to O*NET: Actors in amusement parks dress up as various characters and do impersonations, usually for the amusement of children.
*BLS doesn't include annual figures for this occupation; this annual median was estimated by Business Insider using the hourly median wage provided by BLS.
10. Customer service representatives make an annual salary of $26,100.
Total employed in the US: 2,720
What they do, according to O*NET: Customer service representatives assist customers with questions or complaints, either in person or over the phone.
9. Security guards make an annual salary of $26,800.
Total employed in the US: 5,380
What they do, according to O*NET: Security guards monitor premises to prevent people from breaking the rules.
8. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make an annual salary of $26,890.
Total employed in the US: 1,560
What they do, according to O*NET: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers take care of lawns, plants, and trees. Their duties include sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, and watering, along with keeping the area free of general trash and debris.
7. Laborers and freight movers make an annual salary of $27,510.
Total employed in the US: 1,350
What they do, according to O*NET: Laborers perform any sort of general labor, including moving freight or boxes.
6. Stock clerks and order fillers make an annual salary of $29,080.
Total employed in the US: 1,010
What they do, according to O*NET: Stock clerks organize shelves and tables of merchandise in stores and stockrooms.
5. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers make an annual salary of $33,170.
Total employed in the US: 1,650
What they do, according to O*NET: First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers coordinate workers to ensure efficient customer service.
4. Maintenance and repair workers make an annual salary of $33,600.
Total employed in the US: 2,720
What they do, according to O*NET: Maintenance and repair workers make sure mechanical equipment is running smoothly. This includes pipe fitting, boiler repairs, welding, carpentry, and other general building repairs.
3. First-line supervisors of personal service workers make an annual salary of $35,110.
Total employed in the US: 4,360
What they do, according to O*NET: First-line supervisors of personal service workers coordinate personal service workers like make-up artists, caddies, or maids.
2. All other managers not otherwise categorized make an annual salary of $72,240.
Total employed in the US: 1,240
What they do, according to O*NET: Managers supervise amusement park employees in general.
1. General and Operations Managers make an annual salary of $76,310.
Total employed in the US: 1,540
What they do, according to O*NET: General and operations managers oversee other workers in a variety of tasks, whether they're administrative tasks or manual labor.
