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The differences between parks recreation directors and recreation assistants 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 recreation assistant. Additionally, a parks recreation director has an average salary of $48,942, which is higher than the $31,040 average annual salary of a recreation assistant.
The top three skills for a parks recreation director include aquatics, recreation programs and flag football. The most important skills for a recreation assistant are customer service, MDS, and recreation programs.
| Parks Recreation Director | Recreation Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $48,942 | $31,040 |
| Hourly rate | $23.53 | $14.92 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,782 | 4,088 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| 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.
A recreational assistant is responsible for performing administrative support tasks while under the supervision of a recreational manager. Their duties revolve around planning various activities that align with the company's vision and mission, such as sporting events and other fun games. They also participate in arranging equipment and supplies such as tables and stages, facilitating programs, securing necessary permits and documentation, responding to calls and inquiries, and assisting participants. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with all workers and adhere to company policies and regulations.
Parks recreation directors and recreation assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Parks Recreation Director | Recreation Assistant | |
| Average salary | $48,942 | $31,040 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $85,000 | Between $20,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | Barnstable Town, MA |
| Highest paying state | Mississippi | West Virginia |
| Best paying company | Icma-rc | National Park Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a parks recreation director and a recreation assistant in terms of educational background:
| Parks Recreation Director | Recreation Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Recreation Management | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between parks recreation directors' and recreation assistants' demographics:
| Parks Recreation Director | Recreation Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9% | Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1% |
| 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, 12.6% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |