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Occupational Outlook Handbook > Field of Degree > Recreation and fitness >

Field of degree: Recreation and fitness

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Recreation and fitness field of degree. Employment: 724,290. Median annual wage: $46,000.

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Table 1. Recreation and fitness degree, 2018
Data	Recreation and fitness	All fields
Employment	724,290	55,381,020
Median wage	$46,000	$59,000
Percent employed part time	17	15
Percent employed in occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree	47	59
Percent with an advanced degree	32	37
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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Chart 1. Types of recreation and fitness major, 2018
Recreation and fitness major	Major share
Physical Fitness, Parks, Recreation, And Leisure	100%
Note: The sum of percents by major may not total 100 due to rounding. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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Chart 2. Employment distribution of workers with a recreation and fitness degree, by occupational group, 2018
Occupational group	Occupational group share
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	18%
Management occupations	13
Educational instruction and library occupations	12
Sales and related occupations	10
Office and administrative support occupations	8
Other	38
Note: The sum of percents by major may not total 100 due to rounding. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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Table 2. Top-employing occupations for workers with a recreation and fitness degree
Occupational Outlook Handbook profile	Percent growth, projected 2019–29	Typical entry-level education	Percent degree holders in this field, this occupation, 2018	Percent of this occupation with an advanced degree, 2018
Physical therapists	18%	Doctoral or professional degree	5%	66%
Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors	15	High school diploma or equivalent	3	14
Coaches and scouts	12	Bachelor's degree	2	18
Registered nurses	7	Bachelor's degree	3	12
Physicians, all other; and ophthalmologists, except pediatric	4	Doctoral or professional degree	2	100
Elementary school teachers, except special education	4	Bachelor's degree	6	50
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education	4	Bachelor's degree	2	53
Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary	4	Master's degree	2	55
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	1	High school diploma or equivalent	2	8
Personal service managers, all other; entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling; and managers, all other	-2	Bachelor's degree	4	21
Note: Occupational profiles may comprise multiple SOC occupations, which may have differing education categories. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (projected growth, entry-level education) and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (degree holders, advanced degrees).

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Field of degree: Recreation and fitness,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/recreation-and-fitness/recreation-and-fitness-field-of-degree.htm (visited May 22, 2021).

Last Modified Date: Monday, November 30, 2020