Director of recreation therapy vs recreation leader

The differences between directors of recreation therapy 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 a director of recreation therapy and a recreation leader. Additionally, a director of recreation therapy has an average salary of $165,498, which is higher than the $30,040 average annual salary of a recreation leader.

The top three skills for a director of recreation therapy include rehabilitation, occupational therapy and interdisciplinary. The most important skills for a recreation leader are CPR, customer service, and recreation programs.

Director of recreation therapy vs recreation leader overview

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Recreation Leader
Yearly salary	$165,498	$30,040
Hourly rate	$79.57	$14.44
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	17,746	35,684
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Director of recreation therapy vs recreation leader salary

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

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Recreation Leader
Average salary	$165,498	$30,040
Salary range	Between $87,000 And $314,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	Nebraska
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between director of recreation therapy and recreation leader education

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

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Recreation Leader
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Rehabilitation Science	Business
Most common college	SUNY College at Cortland	Northwestern University

Director of recreation therapy vs recreation leader demographics

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

	Director Of Recreation Therapy	Recreation Leader
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7%	Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2%
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, 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 director of recreation therapy and recreation leader 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.

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.

Director of recreation therapy vs recreation leader skills

Common director of recreation therapy skills

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

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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Director Of Recreation Therapy
Director Of Recreation Therapy vs Recreation Leader

Updated January 8, 2025

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