Activities director vs recreation leader

The differences between activities directors and recreation leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an activities director and a recreation leader. Additionally, an activities director has an average salary of $44,982, which is higher than the $30,040 average annual salary of a recreation leader.

The top three skills for an activities director include patients, rehabilitation and resident care. The most important skills for a recreation leader are CPR, customer service, and recreation programs.

Activities director vs recreation leader overview

	Activities Director	Recreation Leader
Yearly salary	$44,982	$30,040
Hourly rate	$21.63	$14.44
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	6,845	35,684
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does an activities director do?

An activities director is responsible for planning engaging events for the participants, considering individual interests and the safety of procedures and resources. Activities directors guide the activity staff on assisting the participants, ensuring that they are comfortable with joining the activities. Since most activities directors work at a healthcare facility or elderly institution, they must also monitor the health of the participants by conducting therapeutic activities and evaluate the participants' progress for every program. The activities director must be a critical-thinker, as well as have excellent communication skills to coordinate with facilities personnel for successful activity completion.

What does a recreation leader do?

The primary role of recreation leaders is to encourage recreational and sporting activities in various settings such as schools, parks, and youth centers. Their job requires them to motivate others to work as a team member while also promoting good morals and sportsmanship. They develop recreational and sports programs best suited for their company's client base. Other duties also include advertising the availability of recreational activities, securing funding for special events and projects, and adhering to safety practices.

Activities director vs recreation leader salary

Activities directors and recreation leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Activities Director	Recreation Leader
Average salary	$44,982	$30,040
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $74,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Huntington, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Mississippi	Nebraska
Best paying company	Microsoft	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between activities director and recreation leader education

There are a few differences between an activities director and a recreation leader in terms of educational background:

	Activities Director	Recreation Leader
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Northwestern University

Activities director vs recreation leader demographics

Here are the differences between activities directors' and recreation leaders' demographics:

	Activities Director	Recreation Leader
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%	Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between activities director and recreation leader duties and responsibilities

Activities director example responsibilities.

Manage updated JCC social media, including Facebook.
Manage pet therapy/pat visitation protocol.
Attend interdisciplinary care plan meetings and document in MDS and resident medical records as appropriate.
Plan, organize, and run the afterschool
Create reports, handouts, and PowerPoint presentations.
Assist teachers with reading and mathematics lessons and activities.

Recreation leader example responsibilities.

Manage funds and resources to include developing the annual NAF budget, which include submission and prioritization of program component requirements.
Receive training in problem solving, peer mediation and first aid & CPR.
Train in CPR, food handlers, and videos of other health relate issues.
Include the use of PowerPoint, book references, and hands-on demonstration to verify attention to all learning styles.
Utilize clinical assessment, MDS documentation, and collaboration with interdisciplinary team and families.
Supervise and provide leadership for children participating in summer programs to ensure a safe and caring environment.

Activities director vs recreation leader skills

Common activities director skills

Patients, 15%
Rehabilitation, 10%
Resident Care, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Home Health, 7%
MDS, 6%

Common recreation leader skills

CPR, 25%
Customer Service, 21%
Recreation Programs, 7%
Recreational Facilities, 5%
Role Model, 4%
Youth Sports, 4%

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Activities Director
Activities Director vs Recreation Leader

Updated January 8, 2025

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