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Activity coordinator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an activity coordinator. Activity coordinators usually study psychology, business, or communication. 61% of activity coordinators hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 12,097 real activity coordinator resumes to see exactly what activity coordinator education sections show.
The most common colleges for activity coordinators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online activity coordinator courses to help get the education required to be an activity coordinator.
There are certain activity coordinator certifications that you should consider. These activity coordinator certifications include Activity Director Certified (ADC) and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).
What education do you need to become an activity coordinator?
What degree do you need to be an activity coordinator?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become an activity coordinator?
- Psychology, 15%
- Business, 15%
- Communication, 6%
- Liberal Arts, 5%
- Other Majors, 59%
Most common colleges for activity coordinators
| Activity coordinator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.08% |
| Georgia Southern University | 8.05% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 5.96% |
| Western Washington University | 5.96% |
| Florida State University | 5.96% |
Best majors for activity coordinators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 14.8% |
| 2 | Business | 14.7% |
| 3 | Communication | 5.7% |
| 4 | Liberal Arts | 5.0% |
| 5 | Social Work | 4.9% |
Best colleges for activity coordinators
The best colleges for activity coordinators are Northwestern University, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University.
An activity coordinator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for activity coordinators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become activity coordinators.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for activity coordinators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for activity coordinators
The most affordable schools for activity coordinators are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for activity coordinators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for activity coordinators.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for activity coordinators
The hardest universities for activity coordinators to get into are Northwestern University, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for activity coordinators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for activity coordinators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for activity coordinators
The easiest schools for activity coordinators to get into are D'Youville College, bluefield college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an activity coordinator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for activity coordinators.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
9. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
10. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
Average activity coordinator salary by education level
| Activity coordinator education level | Activity coordinator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,387 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,345 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,226 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,770 |
Activity coordinator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025