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The differences between recreation leaders and youth leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a recreation leader, becoming a youth leader takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a recreation leader has an average salary of $30,040, which is higher than the $29,481 average annual salary of a youth leader.
The top three skills for a recreation leader include CPR, customer service and recreation programs. The most important skills for a youth leader are CPR, fine arts, and academic enrichment.
| Recreation Leader | Youth Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $30,040 | $29,481 |
| Hourly rate | $14.44 | $14.17 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 35,684 | 31,851 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
A youth leader is a young individual who is responsible for building a sense of community within the church youth that can provide an opportunity for both spiritual and social development. Youth Leaders organize regular social, educational, and spiritual oriented events with parents and volunteers to maintain a vibrant program. They establish support and appropriate relationships with their youth members and their families. Youth leaders also maintain social media and emails to provide information publicly to youth members about their organized events.
Recreation leaders and youth leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Recreation Leader | Youth Leader | |
| Average salary | $30,040 | $29,481 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $23,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nebraska | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | First Book |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a recreation leader and a youth leader in terms of educational background:
| Recreation Leader | Youth Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between recreation leaders' and youth leaders' demographics:
| Recreation Leader | Youth Leader | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2% | Male, 45.3% Female, 54.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 14% |