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The differences between recreation specialists and specialists 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 specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $39,186 average annual salary of a recreation specialist.
The top three skills for a recreation specialist include CPR, customer service and recreation programs. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Recreation Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,186 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $18.84 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 3,288 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A recreation specialist is responsible for planning and organizing engaging activities according to the event's purpose and community theme. Recreation specialists handle the event's outline from conceptualization to the actual execution, including the location, resources, participants, and budget limitations. They consider the needs of the participants and develop strategic plans that would cater to their lifestyle, growth, and development. A recreation specialist may also conduct outreach operations to gain sponsors and fundraising to enhance community events.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Recreation specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Recreation Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $39,186 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $53,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Loveland, CO | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Mississippi | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Harlem Children's Zone | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a recreation specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Recreation Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between recreation specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Recreation Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.7% Female, 51.3% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |