How To Become A Park Supervisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a park supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Elizabeth Perry Ph.D.

The average park supervisor salary is $33,830. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a park supervisor. Park supervisors with a First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 1,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a park supervisor?

Dr. Elizabeth Perry Ph.D.

Assistant Professor in Protected Areas and Natural Resources Recreation Management, Michigan State University

The visitor side of parks and rec and the impacts of climate change on the visitor experience and park and rec resources continue to increase in importance. We have more people visiting parks than ever (a good thing!), and with that comes needed strategies and practices to manage changing use levels, use patterns, and use types. This also requires solid communication skills, which cannot be overstated in parks and rec. Furthermore, as climate change continues to shift expected conditions in parks, a basic understanding about climate change and local impacts is necessary. If there are more visitors seeking out water resources in the summer, unexpected numbers of visitors in the shoulder seasons, and fewer snow-dependent activity opportunities in the winter - for example - understanding how to still help visitors find a quality and safe experience and protect park resources is needed.

ScorePark SupervisorUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $33,830

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.6

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.08%

Asian 1.39%

Black or African American 0.59%

Hispanic or Latino 2.25%

Unknown 2.90%

White 91.78%

Gender

female 30.31%

male 69.69%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.2

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a park supervisor

Explore park supervisor education requirements

Most common park supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

54.0 %

Associate

18.9 %

High School Diploma

17.4 %

Start to develop specific park supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Routine Maintenance	10.58%
Equipment Maintenance	8.88%
Grounds Maintenance	8.73%
Swimming Pools	6.48%
DCR	6.38%

Complete relevant park supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New park supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a park supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real park supervisor resumes.

Research park supervisor duties and responsibilities

Provide leadership and supervision by managing day-to-day operations for a county park facility.
Instruct lifeguard certification classes while being CPR and first aid certify.
Generate knowledge and experience of inventories, payroll, scheduling, and supervising staff.
Care for animals on exhibit including several species of turtles, snakes, frogs and fish.

Apply for park supervisor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a park supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams