Recreation Workers

What Recreation Workers Do

Recreation workers design and lead activities to help people stay active, improve fitness, and have fun.

Work Environment

Recreation workers are employed in a variety of settings, including recreation centers, parks, summer camps, and nursing and residential care facilities. Many workers spend much of their time being physically active in the outdoors.

How to Become a Recreation Worker

Education and training requirements for recreation workers vary with the type of job, but workers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent and a few weeks of on-the-job training.

Pay

The median annual wage for recreation workers was $26,350 in May 2019.

Job Outlook

Employment of recreation workers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. As more emphasis is placed on the importance of lifelong well-being, more recreation workers will be needed to work with children and adults in a variety of settings.

Recreation workers design and lead activities to help people stay active, improve fitness, and have fun. They work with groups in summer camps, fitness and recreational sports centers, nursing care facilities, nature parks, and other settings. They may lead such activities as arts and crafts, sports, music, dramatics, or games.

Duties

Recreation workers typically do the following:

• Plan, organize, and lead activities for groups or recreation centers
• Explain the rules of activities and instruct participants at a variety of skill levels
• Enforce safety rules to prevent injury
• Modify activities to suit the needs of specific groups, such as seniors
• Administer basic first aid if needed
• Organize and set up the equipment that is used in recreational activities

The specific responsibilities of recreation workers vary greatly with their job title, their level of training, and the state they work in.

The following are examples of types of recreation workers:

Activity specialists provide instruction and coaching primarily in one activity, such as dance, swimming, or tennis. These workers may work in camps, aquatic centers, or anywhere else where there is interest in a single activity.

Recreation leaders are responsible for a recreation program’s daily operation. They primarily organize and direct participants, schedule the use of facilities, set up and keep records of equipment use, and ensure that recreation facilities and equipment are used and maintained properly. They may lead classes and provide instruction in a recreational activity, such as kayaking or golf.

Camp counselors work directly with youths in residential (overnight) or day camps. They often lead and instruct children and teenagers in a variety of outdoor activities, such as swimming, hiking, horseback riding, or nature study. Counselors also provide guidance and supervise daily living and socialization. Some counselors may specialize in a specific activity, such as archery, boating, music, drama, or gymnastics.

Recreation workers held about 417,100 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of recreation workers were as follows:

Local government, excluding education and hospitals	28%
Nursing and residential care facilities	16
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	15
Social assistance	8
Self-employed workers	7

Many workers spend much of their time outdoors. Others provide instruction indoors, for activities such as dance or karate. Still others typically spend most of their time in an office, planning programs and special events.

Recreation workers may face some injury risk while participating in physical activities.

Work Schedules

Many recreation workers, such as camp counselors or activity specialists, work weekends or part-time or irregular hours, or may be seasonally employed. Seasonal workers may work as few as 90 days or as long as 9 months during a season, depending on where they are employed and the type of activity they lead. For example, in areas of the United States that have warm winters, outdoor swimming pools may employ related recreation workers for a majority of the year. In other areas of the country, they may work only during the summer.

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of recreation workers.

	Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2019
	Athletic Trainers	Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.	Bachelor’s degree	$48,440
	Fitness Trainers and Instructors	Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities.	High school diploma or equivalent	$40,390
	Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners	Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings.	Bachelor’s degree	$50,600
	Recreational Therapists	Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.	Bachelor’s degree	$48,220
	Rehabilitation Counselors	Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional disabilities live independently.	Master’s degree	$35,950
	School and Career Counselors	School counselors help students develop the academic and social skills needed to succeed. Career counselors help people choose a path to employment.	Master’s degree	$57,040
	Exercise Physiologists	Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs that help injured or sick patients recover.	Bachelor’s degree	$49,170
	Athletes and Sports Competitors	Athletes and sports competitors participate in organized, officiated sporting events to entertain spectators.	No formal educational credential	$51,370
	Social Workers	Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives.	See How to Become One	$50,470

For more information on careers, certification, and academic programs in parks and recreation, visit

National Recreation and Park Association

For more information about a career as a camp counselor, visit

American Camp Association

For more information on first aid and CPR certifications, visit

American Heart Association

American Red Cross

CareerOneStop

For a career video on recreation workers, visit

Recreation Workers

O*NET

Recreation Workers