# Recreation Workers

> Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreation-workers
- SOC code: 39-9032.00
- Career family: Personal care and service
- Median annual pay: $36,560 (10th percentile $27,600, 90th percentile $50,410)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.3%
- Openings a year: 67,000
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SER)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 46 |
| Investigative (I) | 16 |
| Artistic (A) | 34 |
| Social (S) | 65 |
| Enterprising (E) | 59 |
| Conventional (C) | 41 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 89/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 88/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 85/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 83/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 80/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 80/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 79/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 78/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 76/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 75/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Coordination, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Instructing, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Active Learning

## Knowledge

English Language, Public Safety and Security, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Law and Government, Psychology, Administrative, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Administration and Management

## Also called

Activities Aide, Activities Assistant, Activities Associate, Activities Coordinator, Activities Counselor, Activities Director, Activities Leader, Activity Aide, Activity Assistant, Activity Coordinator

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Outdoor Education](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3106) (CIP 3106, 55 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Fort Lewis College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/fort-lewis-college-993) | Outdoor Education | $30,117 | $39,598 | not reported |
| [Vermont Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/vermont-technical-college-3121) | Outdoor Education | not reported | $35,579 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Recreational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreational-therapists): $61,960 median pay
- [Social and Community Service Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-and-community-service-managers): $80,390 median pay
- [Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/entertainment-and-recreation-managers-except-gambling): $79,520 median pay
- [Rehabilitation Counselors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/rehabilitation-counselors): $46,850 median pay
- [Instructional Coordinators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/instructional-coordinators): $77,440 median pay
- [Social and Human Service Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-and-human-service-assistants): $45,930 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.