Parks recreation director vs recreation leader

The differences between parks recreation directors 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 parks recreation director and a recreation leader. Additionally, a parks recreation director has an average salary of $48,942, which is higher than the $30,040 average annual salary of a recreation leader.

The top three skills for a parks recreation director include aquatics, recreation programs and flag football. The most important skills for a recreation leader are CPR, customer service, and recreation programs.

Parks recreation director vs recreation leader overview

	Parks Recreation Director	Recreation Leader
Yearly salary	$48,942	$30,040
Hourly rate	$23.53	$14.44
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	7,782	35,684
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a parks recreation director do?

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.

What does a recreation leader do?

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.

Parks recreation director vs recreation leader salary

Parks recreation directors and recreation leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Parks Recreation Director	Recreation Leader
Average salary	$48,942	$30,040
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $85,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Cupertino, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Mississippi	Nebraska
Best paying company	Icma-rc	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Automotive	Government

Differences between parks recreation director and recreation leader education

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

	Parks Recreation Director	Recreation Leader
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Recreation Management	Business
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Northwestern University

Parks recreation director vs recreation leader demographics

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

	Parks Recreation Director	Recreation Leader
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9%	Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2%
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, 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 parks recreation director and recreation leader duties and responsibilities

Parks recreation director example responsibilities.

Manage recreation staff and programming for assist living and rehabilitation and skil nursing facilities.
Perform minor first aid and CPR as needed.
Acquire MDS data for the use of the clinical reimbursement team, as well as assessed patients.
Examine injure persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
Maintain written and personal communication with general public and local community through ongoing PowerPoint presentations, weekly newsletters and monthly newspaper.

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.

Parks recreation director vs recreation leader skills

Common parks recreation director skills

Aquatics, 17%
Recreation Programs, 8%
Flag Football, 6%
Recreational Facilities, 5%
CPR, 5%
Program Development, 4%

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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Parks Recreation Director vs Recreation Leader

Updated January 8, 2025

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