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The differences between activity specialists and activities directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an activity specialist, becoming an activities director takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an activities director has an average salary of $44,982, which is higher than the $32,860 average annual salary of an activity specialist.
The top three skills for an activity specialist include adaptive, patients and mediation. The most important skills for an activities director are patients, rehabilitation, and resident care.
| Activity Specialist | Activities Director | |
| Yearly salary | $32,860 | $44,982 |
| Hourly rate | $15.80 | $21.63 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 24,469 | 6,845 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
An activity specialist is responsible for organizing events and planning activity outline for a social institution or a group of people. Activity specialists identify the activity requirements and goals, coordinate with suppliers and vendors for resources, and calculate costs and expenses within the budget limitations. They also finalize the participants' lists and pick the best grounds to set up an activity, ensuring the safety and security of the guests. An activity specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and creating clear expectations to discuss with the management.
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.
Activity specialists and activities directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Activity Specialist | Activities Director | |
| Average salary | $32,860 | $44,982 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $44,000 | Between $27,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntington, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Mississippi |
| Best paying company | Credit Suisse | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an activity specialist and an activities director in terms of educational background:
| Activity Specialist | Activities Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between activity specialists' and activities directors' demographics:
| Activity Specialist | Activities Director | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |