Post job

Recreation director demographics and statistics in the US

Recreation director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates recreation director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our recreation director estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about recreation directors after extensive research and analysis:

  • There are over 6,284 recreation directors currently employed in the United States.
  • 52.0% of all recreation directors are women, while 48.0% are men.
  • The average recreation director age is 42 years old.
  • The most common ethnicity of recreation directors is White (61.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.1%), Black or African American (12.2%) and Unknown (5.6%).
  • In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
  • 8% of all recreation directors are LGBT.
  • Recreation directors are 59% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Recreation director demographics by:

Recreation director gender statistics

52.0% of recreation directors are women and 48.0% of recreation directors are men.
  • Female, 52.0%
  • Male, 48.0%

Recreation director gender ratio

GenderPercentages
Female52.0%
Male48.0%

Recreation director gender pay gap

Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men

male-income
Male income
$51,652
female-income
Female income
$49,448

Recreation director gender ratio over time

This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in recreation director positions over time. Currently, 52.0% of recreation directors are female.
Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Recreation director gender ratio by year

YearMaleFemale
201051.89%48.11%
201151.86%48.14%
201254.40%45.60%
201355.49%44.51%
201453.93%46.07%
201556.47%43.53%
201655.40%44.60%
201756.74%43.26%
201851.60%48.40%
201948.32%51.68%
202041.74%58.26%
202148.04%51.96%

Recreation director related jobs gender ratio

We compared recreation directors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, camp boss and valet have the biggest gender ratio gaps.

Job titleMaleFemale
Infant Childcare Provider3%97%
Daycare Owner4%96%
Professional Nanny5%95%
Recreation Director48%52%
Intramural Director82%18%
Valet85%15%
Camp Boss88%12%

Recreation director demographics by race

The most common ethnicity among recreation directors is White, which makes up 61.4% of all recreation directors. Comparatively, 15.1% of recreation directors are Hispanic or Latino and 12.2% of recreation directors are Black or African American.
  • White, 61.4%
  • Hispanic or Latino, 15.1%
  • Black or African American, 12.2%
  • Unknown, 5.6%
  • Asian, 5.1%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%

Recreation director race

Recreation director racePercentages
White61.4%
Hispanic or Latino15.1%
Black or African American12.2%
Unknown5.6%
Asian5.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%

Recreation director race and ethnicity over time

See how recreation director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.

Recreation director race and ethnicity by year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201070.04%11.07%3.52%12.51%
201170.86%11.37%3.35%11.90%
201268.40%11.93%3.37%13.00%
201367.45%11.65%3.87%13.81%
201467.92%11.59%3.75%13.33%
201566.69%11.34%4.60%13.82%
201666.92%10.89%4.17%14.55%
201767.35%10.47%4.73%13.83%
201864.31%12.86%4.30%14.46%
201964.33%12.92%4.52%14.34%
202058.89%13.55%5.96%14.90%
202161.36%12.21%5.07%15.12%

Recreation director wage gap by race

According to our data, hispanic or latino recreation directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american recreation directors have the lowest average salary at $48,959.
$55,000
$53,000
$51,000
$49,000
$47,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$50,571
White$52,120
Black or African American$48,959
Asian$52,607
Hispanic or Latino$54,159

Average recreation director age

See how the average age of recreation directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female

Recreation director age by race and gender

RaceMale ageFemale age
Unknown4442
White3445
Black or African American4649
Asian46
Hispanic or Latino3132

Recreation director age breakdown

The average age of recreation directors is 40+ years years old, representing 55% of the recreation director population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Recreation director age breakdown

Recreation Director YearsPercentages
40+ years55%
30-40 years20%
20-30 years20%

Recreation director educational attainment

The most common degree for recreation directors is bachelor's degree, with 71% of recreation directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 71%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Master's, 10%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

Recreation directors by degree level

Recreation director degreePercentages
Bachelor's71%
Associate12%
Master's10%
High School Diploma5%
Other Degrees2%

Recreation director jobs you might like

Recreation director wage gap by degree level

According to the data, recreation directors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $60,804 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, recreation directors earn a median annual income of $57,165 compared to $52,759 for recreation directors with an Associate degree.
$61,000
$58,000
$55,000
$52,000
$49,000
$46,000
$43,000
Master's Degree
High School Diploma or Less
Bachelor's Degree
Some College/ Associate Degree
EducationSalary
Master's Degree$60,804
High School Diploma or Less$45,831
Bachelor's Degree$57,165
Some College/ Associate Degree$52,759

Recreation director employment statistics

Most recreation directors work for a private in the health care industry.

Company size where recreation directors work

Below, you can see the size of companies where recreation directors work.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Recreation director jobs by employer size

Company sizePercentages
< 50 employees11%
50 - 100 employees19%
100 - 500 employees32%
500 - 1,000 employees12%
1,000 - 10,000 employees18%
> 10,000 employees9%

Recreation director jobs by company type

Employees with the recreation director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most recreation directors prefer to work at private companies over education companies.

Education

Public

Private

Government

Recreation director jobs by sector

Company typePercentages
Education18%
Public7%
Private59%
Government16%

Recreation director jobs by industry

The most common industries for recreation directors are health care, education and government.

Health Care

Education

Government

Hospitality

Non Profits

Recreation director turnover and employment statistics

Recreation director unemployment rate over time

The unemployment rate for recreation directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Recreation director unemployment rate by year

YearRecreation director unemployment rate
20109.55%
20119.85%
20129.88%
20138.42%
20147.58%
20156.77%
20165.26%
20175.55%
201810.25%
20199.81%
202013.45%
202112.07%

Average recreation director tenure

The average recreation director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,763 recreation directors resumes in Zippia's database.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Recreation director tenure statistics

Number of yearsPercentages
Less than 1 year18%
1-2 years35%
3-4 years16%
5-7 years15%
8-10 years5%
11+ years11%

Recreation director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs

Review the percent of recreation directors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
Job titleLGBTJob openings
Summer Nanny4.43%69,136
House Sitter5.80%90,918
Care Provider6.73%169,562
Recreation Director8.12%-
Residential Director12.72%12,497
Fitness Teacher13.13%57,374

Similar recreation director jobs LGBT demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job openings
Summer Nanny4.43%69,136
House Sitter5.80%90,918
Care Provider6.73%169,562
Residential Director12.72%12,497
Fitness Teacher13.13%57,374

Foreign languages spoken by recreation directors

The most common foreign language among recreation directors is Spanish at 55.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.6% and German is the third-most popular at 6.8%.
  • Spanish, 55.9%
  • French, 13.6%
  • German, 6.8%
  • Arabic, 5.1%
  • Portuguese, 3.4%
  • Other, 15.2%

Recreation director languages spoken

Foreign languagePercentages
Spanish55.9%
French13.6%
German6.8%
Arabic5.1%
Portuguese3.4%
Other15.2%

Recreation director jobs

Recreation director location demographics

Where do recreation directors earn the most?

Recreation directors earn the most in California, where the average recreation director salary is $68,888. The map here shows where recreation directors earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Average salary

Which city has the most Recreation Directors?

By looking through more than 2,763 resumes, we found that the most popular places for recreation directors are New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA.
Number of Recreation Directors

Recreation director jobs by state

RankStateNumber of jobsAverage salary
1California659$68,888
2Alabama523$45,783
3Louisiana503$33,751
4Oklahoma477$39,086
5New York397$58,328
6Texas361$42,348
7Mississippi319$64,195
8Florida225$43,166
9Massachusetts213$49,182
10Georgia209$34,899
11Illinois199$41,096
12New Jersey186$46,257
13North Carolina169$49,020
14Pennsylvania156$45,105
15Virginia150$42,944
16Colorado137$43,931
17Ohio120$38,600
18Washington112$51,724
19Michigan109$39,066
20Arizona101$58,906
21Minnesota101$37,998
22Maryland83$47,671
23South Carolina82$41,469
24Missouri78$35,536
25Wisconsin77$37,175
26Utah71$40,902
27Indiana62$33,097
28Kentucky57$35,347
29Oregon56$59,402
30Connecticut56$51,266
31Tennessee55$36,315
32Nevada52$49,486
33District of Columbia50$60,996
34Nebraska45$41,573
35Iowa43$34,292
36Kansas42$35,395
37Arkansas40$35,808
38Alaska31$49,290
39New Mexico26$45,559
40Hawaii19$48,375
41New Hampshire19$43,127
42North Dakota18$39,094
43Montana17$41,738
44Wyoming14$51,821
45Vermont12$41,208
46Rhode Island10$50,532
47Maine9$43,546
48South Dakota8$41,927
49Delaware7$53,789
50West Virginia6$55,974
51Idaho6$51,019

Recreation director demographics FAQs

Search for recreation director jobs

Browse personal care and attendants jobs