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Recreation manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a recreation manager. Recreation managers usually study business, recreation management, or kinesiology. 73% of recreation managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 940 real recreation manager resumes to see exactly what recreation manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for recreation managers are the University of Florida and the University of Florida.
There are also many online recreation manager courses to help get the education required to be a recreation manager.
There are certain recreation manager certifications that you should consider. These recreation manager certifications include Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.
What education do you need to become a recreation manager?
What degree do you need to be a recreation manager?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 11%
- Master's, 10%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a recreation manager?
- Business, 15%
- Kinesiology, 12%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 53%
Most common colleges for recreation managers
| Recreation manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Florida | 10.20% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.16% |
| Kean University | 6.12% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.12% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 5.10% |
Best majors for recreation managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 15.0% |
| 2 | Recreation Management | 14.3% |
| 3 | Kinesiology | 11.8% |
| 4 | Psychology | 6.4% |
| 5 | Hospitality Management | 6.2% |
Best colleges for recreation managers
The best colleges for recreation managers are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
A recreation manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for recreation managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become recreation managers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
2. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
3. SUNY College at Cortland
Cortland, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,536
Enrollment
6,325
4. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
6. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
8. Winona State University
Winona, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,425
Enrollment
7,052
9. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,369
Enrollment
5,229
10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
20 best online courses for recreation managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for recreation managers
The most affordable schools for recreation managers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for recreation managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for recreation managers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Cost of attendance
19,807
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for recreation managers
The hardest universities for recreation managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for recreation managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for recreation managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
5. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
6. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
7. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
8. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
9. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,307
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for recreation managers
The easiest schools for recreation managers to get into are Barry University, bluefield college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a recreation manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for recreation managers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
9. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
10. Manor College
Jenkintown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
898
Average recreation manager salary by education level
| Recreation manager education level | Recreation manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,369 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $44,694 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,325 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,611 |
Recreation manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025