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Activities director salary
Average activities director salary
$44,982
Understanding Activities Director Salaries
The role of an Activities Director is pivotal in various settings, including senior living facilities, hospitals, and community centers. As of October 2025, the average salary for an Activities Director in the United States is $44,982 per year, translating to approximately $22 per hour. Key factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which you work.
Salary by State
Salaries can vary significantly by state. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for qualified professionals. The highest paying states for Activities Directors typically include:
- California
- New York
- Texas
- Florida
Career Opportunities
Beyond salary, the job outlook for Activities Directors remains strong. With the aging population and increasing emphasis on recreational therapy, demand for these professionals is expected to grow. Pursuing a career as an Activities Director not only offers financial rewards but also the satisfaction of improving lives through engaging activities.
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Where can an Activities Director earn more?
Activities director salary estimates from across the web
Average activities director salary by state
The average activities director salary in Mississippi, New York, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average activities director salary states are Montana, Hawaii, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for activities directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $62,437 | $30.02 |
| 2 | New York | $60,790 | $29.23 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $57,766 | $27.77 |
| 4 | Delaware | $52,885 | $25.43 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $48,524 | $23.33 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $48,910 | $23.51 |
| 7 | Vermont | $49,036 | $23.57 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $52,203 | $25.10 |
| 9 | California | $57,798 | $27.79 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $53,985 | $25.95 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $47,113 | $22.65 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $45,973 | $22.10 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $42,379 | $20.37 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $48,559 | $23.35 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $44,840 | $21.56 |
| 16 | Maryland | $48,483 | $23.31 |
| 17 | Maine | $44,435 | $21.36 |
| 18 | Arizona | $46,567 | $22.39 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $49,277 | $23.69 |
| 20 | Alabama | $40,530 | $19.49 |
| 21 | Oregon | $47,156 | $22.67 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $41,485 | $19.94 |
| 23 | Michigan | $40,762 | $19.60 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $45,780 | $22.01 |
| 25 | Nevada | $46,691 | $22.45 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $41,989 | $20.19 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $44,278 | $21.29 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $50,410 | $24.24 |
| 29 | Colorado | $42,101 | $20.24 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $38,119 | $18.33 |
| 31 | Virginia | $45,642 | $21.94 |
| 32 | Ohio | $40,061 | $19.26 |
| 33 | Illinois | $39,190 | $18.84 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $38,572 | $18.54 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $41,721 | $20.06 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $39,769 | $19.12 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $39,095 | $18.80 |
| 38 | Florida | $41,125 | $19.77 |
| 39 | Texas | $40,761 | $19.60 |
| 40 | Iowa | $32,355 | $15.56 |
| 41 | Montana | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $34,046 | $16.37 |
| 43 | Kansas | $33,194 | $15.96 |
| 44 | Washington | $40,128 | $19.29 |
| 45 | Indiana | $35,883 | $17.25 |
| 46 | Idaho | $38,059 | $18.30 |
| 47 | Georgia | $37,951 | $18.25 |
| 48 | Utah | $32,602 | $15.67 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $36,291 | $17.45 |
| 50 | Missouri | $35,540 | $17.09 |
| 51 | Alaska | $27,051 | $13.01 |
Highest paying cities for activities directors
The highest-paying cities for activities directors are Huntington, NY, Los Angeles, CA, and Silver Spring, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntington, NY | $61,203 | $29.42 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $57,375 | $27.58 |
| 3 | Silver Spring, MD | $48,297 | $23.22 |
| 4 | Bossier City, LA | $48,088 | $23.12 |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $47,546 | $22.86 |
| 6 | Reston, VA | $46,763 | $22.48 |
| 7 | Bethlehem, PA | $46,255 | $22.24 |
| 8 | Springfield, MA | $46,029 | $22.13 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $45,192 | $21.73 |
| 10 | Brentwood, TN | $44,684 | $21.48 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $43,580 | $20.95 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City, OK | $42,809 | $20.58 |
| 13 | Bloomington, MN | $42,022 | $20.20 |
| 14 | Port Saint Lucie, FL | $41,352 | $19.88 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $41,079 | $19.75 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $40,361 | $19.40 |
| 17 | East Lansing, MI | $40,078 | $19.27 |
| 18 | Redmond, WA | $40,039 | $19.25 |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $39,667 | $19.07 |
| 20 | Elk Grove Village, IL | $39,267 | $18.88 |
Activities director salary details
An activities director's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an activities director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $44,982 | $3,749 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying activities director jobs
The highest paying types of activities directors are senior counselor, program lead, and group leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Lead | $100,727 | $8,394 | $48.43 | 61,632 |
| Group Leader | $100,480 | $8,373 | $48.31 | 56,173 |
| Day Camp Counselor | $29,384 | $2,449 | $14.13 | 32,895 |
| Camp Counselor | $24,340 | $2,028 | $11.70 | 28,182 |
| Orientation Leader | $33,848 | $2,821 | $16.27 | 32,073 |
| Summer Camp Counselor | $25,618 | $2,135 | $12.32 | 31,954 |
Top companies hiring activities directors now:
Which companies pay activities directors the most?
Activities director salaries at Microsoft and FTI Consulting are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average activities director salary at companies like Audible and Senior Living Properties are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $127,596 | $61.34 |
| 2 | FTI Consulting | $125,784 | $60.47 |
| 3 | Audible | $98,074 | $47.15 |
| 4 | Senior Living Properties | $73,667 | $35.42 |
| 5 | Essence Global | $72,263 | $34.74 |
| 6 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $70,746 | $34.01 |
| 7 | Liberty HomeCare and Hospice | $68,936 | $33.14 |
| 8 | Catholic Health East | $65,444 | $31.46 |
| 9 | Ruthven Community Care Center | $63,902 | $30.72 |
| 10 | Solaris Hospice | $62,282 | $29.94 |
| 11 | Ciena Healthcare | $60,945 | $29.30 |
| 12 | Epic Systems | $60,544 | $29.11 |
| 13 | Continuing Healthcare Solutions | $59,794 | $28.75 |
| 14 | ProMedica Toledo Hospital | $56,535 | $27.18 |
| 15 | Signature Healthcare | $56,005 | $26.93 |
| 16 | American Senior Benefits | $55,906 | $26.88 |
| 17 | Greystone Health Network | $54,742 | $26.32 |
| 18 | Aegis Therapies | $54,246 | $26.08 |
| 19 | Iroquois Memorial Hospital | $53,375 | $25.66 |
| 20 | Virginia Health Services | $52,195 | $25.09 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Activities Director salary by industry
The average activities director salary varies across industries:
- The average activities director salary in the health care industry is $41,547, the highest of any industry.
- The average activities director salary in the finance industry is $40,769.
- Activities directors in the government industry earn an average salary of $36,142, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for activities directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $41,547 | $19.97 |
| 2 | Real Estate | $40,769 | $19.60 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $39,887 | $19.18 |
| 4 | Education | $39,067 | $18.78 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $36,805 | $17.69 |
| 6 | Government | $36,142 | $17.38 |
High paying activities director jobs
Activities director salary trends
The average activities director salary has risen by $9,980 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average activities director earned $35,002 annually, but today, they earn $44,982 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for activities directors over the last decade.
Compare activities director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average activities director salary over time
Compare activities director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Activities director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,000 | $21.63 | +7.3% |
| 2024 | $41,700 | $20.04 | +4.9% |
| 2023 | $39,600 | $19.06 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $38,800 | $18.66 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $37,800 | $18.15 | +2.3% |
Recently added activities director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signature Healthcare | Activities Director | Lebanon, IN | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Brightview Senior Living | Activities Director | Annapolis, MD | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Drive Shack Holdings | Director of Activations | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $90,000 |
| Cedar Trails Senior Living | Activities Director | Freeburg, IL | 06/29/2025 | $50,000 |
| ESPN, Inc. | Data Activation Director | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $143,600 |
| Bethany of The Northwest | Activities Director at Bethany at Pacific | Everett, WA | 06/28/2025 | $65,000 |
| Signature Healthcare | Activities Director | Louisville, KY | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| Holiday Manor Care Center | Activity Director-Skilled Nursing Facility | Parksdale, CA | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Vineyard Post Acute | Activities Director | Petaluma, CA | 06/27/2025 | $50,088 |
| PACS | Activities Director | Vineyard, UT | 06/27/2025 | $50,088 |
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