Director of recreation therapy vs activity coordinator

The differences between directors of recreation therapy and activity coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a director of recreation therapy and an activity coordinator. Additionally, a director of recreation therapy has an average salary of $165,498, which is higher than the $35,309 average annual salary of an activity coordinator.

The top three skills for a director of recreation therapy include rehabilitation, occupational therapy and interdisciplinary. The most important skills for an activity coordinator are customer service, patients, and CPR.

Director of recreation therapy vs activity coordinator overview

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Activity Coordinator
Yearly salary	$165,498	$35,309
Hourly rate	$79.57	$16.98
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	17,746	20,364
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Director of recreation therapy vs activity coordinator salary

Directors of recreation therapy and activity coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Activity Coordinator
Average salary	$165,498	$35,309
Salary range	Between $87,000 And $314,000	Between $28,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	Mississippi
Best paying company	-	Medical University of South Carolina
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between director of recreation therapy and activity coordinator education

There are a few differences between a director of recreation therapy and an activity coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Activity Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Rehabilitation Science	Psychology
Most common college	SUNY College at Cortland	Duke University

Director of recreation therapy vs activity coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between directors of recreation therapy' and activity coordinators' demographics:

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Activity Coordinator
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7%	Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 5.7% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between director of recreation therapy and activity coordinator duties and responsibilities

Director of recreation therapy example responsibilities.

Manage activity and progress reports including statistical data require by regulators, initial assessments, MDS and IDC documentation.
Work with mentally ill, physical rehabilitation, Alzheimer's, dementia, and HIV/AIDS affect residents of facility.
Design architecture and lay-out of rehabilitation room and surrounding patio.
Plan and direct medically approve recreation program for patients in hospitals and other institutions.
Maintain and continually restructure the Alzheimer's unit separate sensory room utilize for auditory, visual, olfactory and tactile stimulation.
Manage annual MWR budget aboard the ship, to encompass monetary intake of over $1million.

Activity coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage safety accident reports and ensure that all staff is CPR and a certified.
Manage and coordinate the workload of the release team members and are responsible for organizing and hosting all production release windows.
Direct and implement recreational programs, including adult and youth sports, aquatics, community center and special events.
Assist clients in reaching their ISP goals.
Specialize with the ADL's for residents with dementia.
Assist clients with personal care or ADL's as needed.

Director of recreation therapy vs activity coordinator skills

Common director of recreation therapy skills

Rehabilitation, 15%
Occupational Therapy, 14%
Interdisciplinary, 14%
Patients, 12%
Recreational Therapy, 11%
Physical Therapy, 11%

Common activity coordinator skills

Customer Service, 27%
Patients, 20%
CPR, 12%
PowerPoint, 3%
Memory Care, 3%
Front Desk, 3%

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Director Of Recreation Therapy
Director Of Recreation Therapy vs Activity Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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