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The differences between parks recreation directors and day camp counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a parks recreation director and a day camp counselor. Additionally, a parks recreation director has an average salary of $48,942, which is higher than the $29,384 average annual salary of a day camp counselor.
The top three skills for a parks recreation director include aquatics, recreation programs and flag football. The most important skills for a day camp counselor are CPR, kids, and cleanliness.
| Parks Recreation Director | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $48,942 | $29,384 |
| Hourly rate | $23.53 | $14.13 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,782 | 32,895 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A parks recreation director manages and leads the operations of a park's recreation department. You will be responsible for department oversight, budget management and requisition, coordination with other town council departments, recreation publicity campaigns, and overseeing capital expenditure. Parks recreation directors are the policy and strategy leads for city parks and submit regular reports to the council parks boards. Staff recruitment and supervision, community engagement in recreation activities, and ensuring policy compliance are other core duties.
The job of the camp counselors is to develop recreational plans and oversee camp activities in residential camps. Their duties and responsibilities include organizing camping trips, planning and scheduling group activities, and guiding children and teenagers in various outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. They are expected to lead campers in emergency procedures and fire drills, explain safety rules and procedures, and provide emotional support to campers. Camp counselors are also responsible for assessing and responding to emergencies when they arise.
Parks recreation directors and day camp counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Parks Recreation Director | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Average salary | $48,942 | $29,384 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $85,000 | Between $19,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Mississippi | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Icma-rc | City of Portland |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Education |
There are a few differences between a parks recreation director and a day camp counselor in terms of educational background:
| Parks Recreation Director | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Recreation Management | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Duke University |
Here are the differences between parks recreation directors' and day camp counselors' demographics:
| Parks Recreation Director | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9% | Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |