CCollegeMatcher

Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling

US occupation · SOC 11-9072

Job titles people report: Aquatic Program Manager, Camp Director, Events Manager, Golf Course Manager, Ice Arena Director, Park Manager, Recreation Director, Recreation Manager, Recreation Superintendent, Social Activities Director

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025
$79,520
Half earn more, half earn less
Middle half earn
$61,060 – $104,770
25th to 75th percentile
People employed, May 2025
37,980
Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
Projected change, 2025–35
+6%
At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)
Openings a year (projected)
5,100
New jobs plus replacing people who leave
Typical education to enter
Bachelor's degree
BLS
  • All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
  • Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
  • Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Plan, direct, or coordinate entertainment and recreational activities and operations of a recreational facility, including cruise ships and parks.

Main tasks

  • Write budgets to plan recreational activities or programs.
  • Talk to coworkers using electronic devices, such as computers and radios.
  • Talk to customers to convey information about events or activities.
  • Plan programs of events or schedules of activities.
  • Explain rules and regulations of facilities and entertainment attractions to customers.
  • Calculate and record department expenses and revenue.
  • Interview and hire associates to fill staff vacancies.
  • Assign tasks and work hours to staff.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)
Bachelor's degree
Work experience in a related job: less than 5 years
O*NET Job Zone 4
Considerable preparation
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests it suits

The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.

  • Enterprising: leading, persuading and making business decisions
  • Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
  • Social: helping, teaching and caring for people

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 9 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Business

  • Business/Commerce, General
  • Business Administration and Management, General
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General
  • Resort Management

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Business at the Major step.

Where many students take business

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Environmental Studies

  • Environmental/Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Environmental Studies at the Major step.

Where many students take environmental studies

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Kinesiology & Sports Science

  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General
  • Golf Course Operation and Grounds Management
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Other
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Kinesiology & Sports Science at the Major step.

Where many students take kinesiology & sports science

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

← All careers

Sources

This page includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0

Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk