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Recreation supervisor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a recreation supervisor. Recreation supervisors usually study recreation management, kinesiology, or business. 73% of recreation supervisors hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,142 real recreation supervisor resumes to see exactly what recreation supervisor education sections show.
The most common colleges for recreation supervisors are the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
There are also many online recreation supervisor courses to help get the education required to be a recreation supervisor.
There are certain recreation supervisor certifications that you should consider. These recreation supervisor certifications include First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).
What education do you need to become a recreation supervisor?
What degree do you need to be a recreation supervisor?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 11%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a recreation supervisor?
- Kinesiology, 15%
- Business, 11%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for recreation supervisors
| Recreation supervisor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 12.62% |
| Illinois State University | 9.15% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.89% |
| Ohio State University | 6.31% |
| Western Washington University | 5.99% |
Best majors for recreation supervisors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recreation Management | 16.2% |
| 2 | Kinesiology | 14.5% |
| 3 | Business | 11.4% |
| 4 | Psychology | 7.6% |
| 5 | Health Education | 7.1% |
Best colleges for recreation supervisors
The best colleges for recreation supervisors are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
A recreation supervisor 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 supervisors. 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 supervisors.
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 supervisors
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1. Recreate the First Ever Easter Egg from Adventure in Unity
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2. Activism in Sports and Culture
Sports have become an ever-present reflection of American culture, and an important symbol of the divisions and alliances in our society. Sports and political change walk hand in hand in America. The way that athletes and institutions deal with questions of race, economic hardship, nationalism, and political ties have become central to the way that we understand ourselves and our society. And yet, there are those who would prefer their sports free of controversy and opinion. Dedicated athletes,...
3. Introductory Sport Psychology
Developing sport psychology skills that you can use when you train, compete or coach...
4. Applied Sport Psychology and Leadership in Sport Certificate
Enhance your knowledge of sport psychology from an athlete or coach perspective with this comprehensive applied course...
5. Sports Marketing
Today, there is demand for people skilled in Sports Marketing. Organizations want your expertise to strength and grow customer bases and teams want to enlarge their fan base, attract new sponsors to their sport, build strong programs with existing sponsors, and run their fan conventions and other events. In addition, a wide range of companies recognize the value sports relationships have in positioning and building their brands. In this Sports Marketing MOOC, you will learn: — Ticket pricing...
6. Sports Performance Analytics
Sports analytics has emerged as a field of research with increasing popularity propelled, in part, by the real-world success illustrated by the best-selling book and motion picture, Moneyball. Analysis of team and player performance data has continued to revolutionize the sports industry on the field, court, and ice as well as in living rooms among fantasy sports players and online sports gambling.\n\nDrawing from real data sets in Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball...
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10. Data Analytics in Sports Law and Management
Athletes, lawyers and team executive experts provide insight in how law and regulations intersect with data analytics and sports management techniques for best practices in the sports industry. Several courses provide the basis for how data analytics function within player evaluation, team performance, and roster management. The specialization introduces various regulatory, managerial and legal frameworks that includes athlete representation, facilities, and event management and conclude with...
11. Sport Psychology for Athletes
Master the fundamentals of sport psychology to improve performance and gain a mental edge...
12. Sports Nutrition for Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts
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13. Sports Turf Management: Best Practices
The Sports Turf Management: Best Practices course will cover the construction, management, and challenges in maintaining athletic fields intended for football, soccer, and baseball. You will learn the fundamental management practices for maintaining athletic fields, such as fertilization, irrigation, mowing, and pest control. An overview of athletic field construction, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of native soil versus modified soil fields, will be provided. Lastly, you will...
14. Sports Massage: The Technique Masterclass
Learn the most effective sports massage techniques for the entire body (2 CEUs)...
15. Ashiatsu or Shiatsu Barefoot Sports Massage Therapy
Let your feet do the work for you!...
16. Supervisor Leadership Skills for a Safe Workplace
Learn safety communication skills to foster safety accountability, responsibility and correct safety behaviours...
17. Sports Massage: Positional Release Certificate Course
Learn Sports Massage Positional Release Techniques to produce profound pain relief and improve bodily function (2 CEUs)...
18. Sports Massage: Muscle Energy Technique Certificate Course
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19. Become a Professional Football (Soccer) Coach
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20. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...
Top 10 most affordable universities for recreation supervisors
The most affordable schools for recreation supervisors are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for recreation supervisors 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 supervisors.
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 supervisors
The hardest universities for recreation supervisors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for recreation supervisors 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 supervisors 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 supervisors
The easiest schools for recreation supervisors 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 supervisor 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 supervisors.
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 supervisor salary by education level
| Recreation supervisor education level | Recreation supervisor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,732 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,481 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,557 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,865 |
Recreation supervisor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025