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The differences between park aides and recreation leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a park aide, becoming a recreation leader takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a recreation leader has an average salary of $30,040, which is higher than the $28,379 average annual salary of a park aide.
The top three skills for a park aide include GRASS, general grounds and various maintenance. The most important skills for a recreation leader are CPR, customer service, and recreation programs.
| Park Aide | Recreation Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $28,379 | $30,040 |
| Hourly rate | $13.64 | $14.44 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 41,113 | 35,684 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A park aide is an administrative or grounds support staff in a park whose duties will vary according to the department in which they are posted. Park aides working in customer service interact with visitors to guide and give information or tour guides. Those working on the grounds may be assigned conservation and recreational duties or cleaning, while those in administration will be responsible for a variety of administrative roles such as working on outreach programs, visitor registration, or revenue collection.
The primary role of recreation leaders is to encourage recreational and sporting activities in various settings such as schools, parks, and youth centers. Their job requires them to motivate others to work as a team member while also promoting good morals and sportsmanship. They develop recreational and sports programs best suited for their company's client base. Other duties also include advertising the availability of recreational activities, securing funding for special events and projects, and adhering to safety practices.
Park aides and recreation leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Park Aide | Recreation Leader | |
| Average salary | $28,379 | $30,040 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $23,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Nebraska |
| Best paying company | Washington State University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Government |
There are a few differences between a park aide and a recreation leader in terms of educational background:
| Park Aide | Recreation Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between park aides' and recreation leaders' demographics:
| Park Aide | Recreation Leader | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% | Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 0.8% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% Asian, 1.4% White, 90.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | 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% |