Recreation Workers

Summary

What Recreation Workers Do About this section

Recreation workers lead groups in activities such as arts and crafts.

Recreation workers organize, conduct, and promote a variety of group activities for leisure and other purposes. Activities may include arts and crafts, sports, or music.

Duties

Recreation workers typically do the following:

• Organize, conduct, and promote recreational activities
• Explain the rules of activities and instruct participants at a variety of skill levels
• Modify activities to suit the needs of specific participants, such as seniors
• Explain safety procedures to reduce and prevent injuries
• Administer basic first aid as needed
• Perform administrative tasks, such as helping participants complete paperwork

Duties of recreation workers vary by job title, level of training, and other factors. For example, camp counselors work directly with youths in overnight or day camps and guide participants in activities and interactions with others.

Recreation workers may specialize in a particular activity, such as swimming, drama, or arts and crafts. They also may organize and promote a number of recreation programs for one or more facilities. Some recreation workers assist others at every phase, such as by setting up equipment, helping participants during activities, and cleaning and maintaining the equipment or facility.

In addition, recreation workers sometimes have office duties. For example, they may assist participants in completing forms or create calendars and newsletters to promote certain activities or programs.

Workers in similar occupations may focus on recreation with a different purpose. For example, entertainment and recreation managers plan and direct activities and operations related to fitness and leisure. Recreational therapists use medical-based activities to treat people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. Self-enrichment teachers instruct participants in activities for personal improvement or recreation.

Work Environment About this section

Activity specialists who teach dance usually provide instruction indoors.

Recreation workers held about 300,000 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of recreation workers were as follows:

Recreation workers may spend much of their time outdoors leading activities such as hiking or soccer. Others coordinate indoor activities, such as drama or karate. Workers who plan programs and events may spend much of their time in an office.

Injuries and Illnesses

Recreation workers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Injuries may occur due to incidents such as slips, falls, and overexertion. Workers reduce the risk of injury by following safety procedures and practices, such as using proper exercise form and keeping recreation areas free of obstacles.

Work Schedules

Most recreation workers are full time, but many work part-time, irregular, or seasonal hours. For example, camp counselors may work primarily in the evening or on weekends, or they may be employed only during the summer.

How to Become a Recreation Worker About this section

Recreation workers maintain order and safety.

Recreation workers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent, although requirements may vary by type of job. Once hired, these workers typically need a short period of on-the-job training.

Education and Training

Recreation workers typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation.

Requirements vary based on the type of position. For some jobs, such as organizing after-school programs at a community center, candidates may qualify with a high school diploma and receive training of a month or less after they are hired.

For other positions, such as coordinating activities at a residential care facility, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in recreation and fitness or a related field. A list of accredited bachelor’s degree programs is available from the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions, a branch of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Some employers require recreation workers to have certifications such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or first aid. Employers also may require recreation workers to have a valid driver’s license and to pass a background check.

Optional certification for recreation workers is offered by organizations such as the NRPA and the American Camp Association. Eligibility varies based on education and work experience.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Recreation workers must be able to give clear instructions, often to large groups.

Flexibility. Recreation workers must be able to adapt plans and activities to suit changing conditions and participants’ needs.

Interpersonal skills. Recreation workers must be compatible with different types of people, sometimes within a single group.

Leadership skills. Recreation workers should be able to coordinate both large and small groups, as well as groups of varying ages and abilities.

Motivational skills. Recreation workers should be able to inspire participants so that they enjoy activities.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for recreation workers was $34,410 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,040, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $49,690.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for recreation workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Most recreation workers are full time, but many work part-time, irregular, or seasonal hours. For example, camp counselors may work primarily in the evening or on weekends, or they may be employed only during the summer.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of recreation workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2023 to 2033, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 63,700 openings for recreation workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

An increased emphasis on the importance of lifelong well-being is expected to create demand for recreation workers in a variety of settings, including fitness and recreational sports centers, country clubs, and other organizations. Parks and recreation departments may contract out the services of activity specialists.

In addition, there will be more demand for recreation workers to work with older clients, especially in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

• Recreation workers

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

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

National Recreation and Park Association

For more information about camp counselors, visit

American Camp Association

For more information about 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