Recreation aide vs senior counselor

The differences between recreation aides and senior 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 recreation aide and a senior counselor. Additionally, a senior counselor has an average salary of $127,405, which is higher than the $28,756 average annual salary of a recreation aide.

The top three skills for a recreation aide include customer service, CPR and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a senior counselor are litigation, legal advice, and legal issues.

Recreation aide vs senior counselor overview

	Recreation Aide	Senior Counselor
Yearly salary	$28,756	$127,405
Hourly rate	$13.82	$61.25
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	43,283	28,008
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a recreation aide do?

A recreation aide is responsible for assisting with the planning of recreational activities, following the supervision of a recreational manager. Recreation aides prepare all the resources, guide the participants, maintain the activity equipment, facilitate the program, and reiterate the guidelines for the safe execution of the activity. They also ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities to be used. A recreation aide must have excellent communication and organizational skills, responding to the participants' inquiries and concerns, as well as performing administrative duties as the recreational manager advises.

What does a senior counselor do?

The responsibilities of a senior counselor will depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Most of the time, a senior counselor works with the youth, particularly children. They focus on facilitating recreational programs, ensuring a safe and fun experience for them. They may also assess the children's condition and needs, providing them with the necessary assistance and guidance. Furthermore, when a senior counselor must reach out to parents and guardians, they may inform them of any concerns or progress.

Recreation aide vs senior counselor salary

Recreation aides and senior counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Recreation Aide	Senior Counselor
Average salary	$28,756	$127,405
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $36,000	Between $81,000 And $200,000
Highest paying City	Bellingham, WA	Olympia, WA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Alaska
Best paying company	National Park Foundation	Crowell & Moring
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between recreation aide and senior counselor education

There are a few differences between a recreation aide and a senior counselor in terms of educational background:

	Recreation Aide	Senior Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Law
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Recreation aide vs senior counselor demographics

Here are the differences between recreation aides' and senior counselors' demographics:

	Recreation Aide	Senior Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 39.8% Female, 60.2%	Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between recreation aide and senior counselor duties and responsibilities

Recreation aide example responsibilities.

Manage funds and resources to include developing the annual NAF budget, which include submission and prioritization of program component requirements.
Maintain certifications of CPR, food service, child care, cleanliness, etc.
Promote and enforce safety procedures; render first aid and CPR, if certify, as required.
Plan and run daily recreational activities for at risk youth.
Operate riding lawn mowers, push lawn mowers, weed-whackers, edgers, chainsaws.
Organize and participate in activities with patients on and off the rehabilitation unit such as cooking and playing games.

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Senior counselor example responsibilities.

Manage team of IP professionals in patent, trademark and copyright protection matters.
Provide supervision and manage delinquent youthful offenders, in a secure residential correctional treatment facility.
Manage outside counsel in connection with merger/acquisition/business development activity, litigation matters, and the resolution of third party disputes.
Lead educational initiatives to patients such as education in safety, assertive communication, appropriate boundaries, personal hygiene and nutrition.
Manage the dispute resolution/litigation process; responding to and resolving threaten litigation; responding to subpoenas and regulatory inquiries and investigations.
Assist with ADL's, teaching/mentoring, advocating and community integration.

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Recreation aide vs senior counselor skills

Common recreation aide skills

Customer Service, 20%
CPR, 18%
Rehabilitation, 11%
Cleanliness, 8%
Recreational Facilities, 4%
Safety Rules, 4%

Common senior counselor skills

Litigation, 10%
Legal Advice, 10%
Legal Issues, 7%
Patients, 6%
Legal Support, 5%
Intellectual Property, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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