Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between recreation managers and site 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 recreation manager and a site leader. Additionally, a site leader has an average salary of $64,886, which is higher than the $47,007 average annual salary of a recreation manager.
The top three skills for a recreation manager include CPR, cleanliness and safety procedures. The most important skills for a site leader are customer service, project management, and logistics.
| Recreation Manager | Site Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $47,007 | $64,886 |
| Hourly rate | $22.60 | $31.20 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 3,137 | 56,932 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Recreation managers create programs at a recreation center for specific people such as the elderly, children, and disabled people. These managers keep communities informed regarding the different excursions, programs, and exhibitions. They advise counselors and administrators on recreation and parks and ways to obtain sponsors. They coordinate and keep records of all activities and events. Their job also includes dealing with issues like being understaffed. They must work with different kinds of people, must have management and organizational abilities, and be physically fit.
A site leader is responsible for managing the staff's performance, ensuring the smooth delivery of daily operations, and guiding the successful project completion by maximizing the staff's productivity within the specified timeframe and budget goals. Site leaders work closely with the clients, together with the site manager, to identify their specifications and requirements, as well as providing progress updates and suggesting design adjustments as needed. A site leader also performs safety inspections, making sure that all the staff follows the required operational procedures and regulations to prevent hazards and delays in project deliverables.
Recreation managers and site leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Recreation Manager | Site Leader | |
| Average salary | $47,007 | $64,886 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $70,000 | Between $31,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Mississippi | Mississippi |
| Best paying company | St. John's Episcopal Hospital | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a recreation manager and a site leader in terms of educational background:
| Recreation Manager | Site Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between recreation managers' and site leaders' demographics:
| Recreation Manager | Site Leader | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0% | Male, 65.6% Female, 34.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |