Recreation Workers
Also called: Activities Director, Activity Aide, Activity Director, Recreation SupervisorConduct 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 10 of its 24 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 4.3% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 10.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 34% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,360 | $22,410 to $36,280 | 4,700 |
| Alaska | $37,510 | $36,950 to $47,410 | 630 |
| Arizona | $35,800 | $33,040 to $39,480 | 12,650 |
| Arkansas | $27,770 | $24,580 to $35,830 | 1,740 |
| California | $39,780 | $37,320 to $46,550 | 48,560 |
| Colorado | $38,820 | $34,320 to $44,050 | 6,100 |
| Connecticut | $36,610 | $34,670 to $44,110 | 5,000 |
| Delaware | $33,790 | $31,200 to $37,320 | 1,230 |
| District of Columbia | $46,460 | $38,420 to $50,080 | 470 |
| Florida | $35,490 | $31,680 to $39,490 | 18,010 |
| Georgia | $32,540 | $25,810 to $40,310 | 8,160 |
| Hawaii | $41,000 | $39,270 to $41,000 | 1,590 |
| Idaho | $30,100 | $26,710 to $38,590 | 2,080 |
| Illinois | $35,480 | $31,840 to $39,800 | 17,650 |
| Indiana | $30,190 | $26,980 to $36,100 | 8,050 |
| Iowa | $33,700 | $28,790 to $38,100 | 2,870 |
| Kansas | $31,760 | $26,780 to $36,580 | 2,990 |
| Kentucky | $32,400 | $28,180 to $37,110 | 3,290 |
| Louisiana | $28,580 | $22,920 to $36,390 | 2,830 |
| Maine | $37,450 | $32,650 to $46,400 | 1,260 |
| Maryland | $37,200 | $34,960 to $44,370 | 4,350 |
| Massachusetts | $38,540 | $36,040 to $45,010 | 11,280 |
| Michigan | $35,090 | $31,290 to $39,970 | 10,850 |
| Minnesota | $37,510 | $33,220 to $44,770 | 7,940 |
| Mississippi | $28,060 | $21,940 to $33,670 | 2,220 |
| Missouri | $34,320 | $29,850 to $38,600 | 5,380 |
| Montana | $35,090 | $30,730 to $43,180 | 800 |
| Nebraska | $34,590 | $31,400 to $41,250 | 1,510 |
| Nevada | $30,150 | $26,930 to $35,410 | 2,570 |
| New Hampshire | $37,040 | $31,890 to $45,520 | 2,030 |
| New Jersey | $36,880 | $33,650 to $42,360 | 7,550 |
| New Mexico | $31,900 | $26,510 to $40,680 | 870 |
| New York | $38,040 | $34,900 to $46,070 | 24,790 |
| North Carolina | $32,720 | $26,450 to $41,100 | 9,520 |
| North Dakota | $37,310 | $30,380 to $47,190 | 730 |
| Ohio | $32,420 | $28,680 to $37,300 | 12,340 |
| Oklahoma | $31,580 | $23,380 to $38,160 | 2,380 |
| Oregon | $39,610 | $35,620 to $47,780 | 4,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,710 | $29,630 to $43,740 | 9,850 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,210 | $21,840 to $24,650 | 850 |
| Rhode Island | $36,340 | $35,740 to $42,110 | 770 |
| South Carolina | $31,420 | $26,790 to $38,710 | 5,270 |
| South Dakota | $42,270 | $35,900 to $48,630 | 650 |
| Tennessee | $33,580 | $29,540 to $40,040 | 3,420 |
| Texas | $32,720 | $28,170 to $41,520 | 18,660 |
| Utah | $32,890 | $28,510 to $38,080 | 5,760 |
| Vermont | $37,450 | $36,120 to $43,620 | 840 |
| Virgin Islands | $33,400 | $28,980 to $41,620 | 30 |
| Virginia | $36,120 | $31,370 to $44,100 | 9,260 |
| Washington | $44,890 | $37,420 to $50,150 | 6,380 |
| West Virginia | $29,710 | $26,610 to $37,270 | 1,410 |
| Wisconsin | $35,530 | $31,200 to $42,290 | 6,840 |
| Wyoming | $30,720 | $26,170 to $37,290 | 790 |
Nationally: $36,560. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 10 of its 24 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities. | 0.07% |
| Not much | Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, sports, games, camping, and hobbies. | Not published |
| Not much | Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety. | Not published |
| AI + software | Evaluate recreation areas, facilities, and services to determine if they are producing desired results. | Not published |
| Not much | Meet with staff to discuss rules, regulations, and work-related problems. | Not published |
| Not much | Confer with management to discuss and resolve participant complaints. | Not published |
See all 24 tasks
| Not much | Greet new arrivals to activities, introducing them to other participants, explaining facility rules, and encouraging participation. | Not published |
| AI alone | Explain principles, techniques, and safety procedures to participants in recreational activities and demonstrate use of materials and equipment. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Manage the daily operations of recreational facilities. | Not published |
| AI + software | Complete and maintain time and attendance forms and inventory lists. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Supervise and coordinate the work activities of personnel, such as training staff members and assigning work duties. | Not published |
| Not much | Administer first aid according to prescribed procedures and notify emergency medical personnel when necessary. | Not published |
| Not much | Meet and collaborate with agency personnel, community organizations, and other professional personnel to plan balanced recreational programs for participants. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Document individuals' progress toward meeting their treatment goals. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Provide for entertainment and set up related decorations and equipment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Encourage participants to develop their own activities and leadership skills through group discussions. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Direct special activities or events, such as aquatics, gymnastics, or performing arts. | Not published |
| AI + software | Schedule maintenance and use of facilities. | Not published |
| AI + software | Oversee the purchase, planning, design, construction, and upkeep of recreation facilities and areas. | Not published |
| Not much | Serve as liaison between park or recreation administrators and activity instructors. | Not published |
| AI + software | Evaluate staff performance, recording evaluations on appropriate forms. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Develop treatment goals for individuals based on their assessments. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Take residents on community outings. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct individual in-room visits with residents. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 8 of the 24 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 24 tasks fall under 24 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- #19 Provide general assistance to others, such as customers, patrons, or motorists
- and 1 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Coordinate group, community, or public activities | |||
| Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities | |||
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Provide general assistance to others, such as customers, patrons, or motorists | |||
| Provide support or encouragement to others | |||
| Promote products, services, or programs |
Show all 24 activities
| Coordinate with others to resolve problems | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Maintain safety or security | |||
| Arrange displays or decorations | |||
| Counsel others about personal matters | |||
| Develop organizational or program goals or objectives | |||
| Prepare schedules for services or facilities | |||
| Develop patient or client care or treatment plans | |||
| Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance | |||
| Prepare health or medical documents | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Assign work to others | |||
| Train others to use equipment or products | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Administer emergency medical treatment | |||
| Escort others |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report15%
- An explanation or answer14%
- A plan or strategy12%
- Advice or a recommendation11%
- An analysis or summary5%
How they worked with Claude
41% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for recreation workers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 208,732 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 2 Coaches and Scouts Moderate +6.1% 4%
- 3 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 4 Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education High -0.4% 3%
- 5 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 129,812 moves in
- 1 Coaches and Scouts Moderate +6.1% 4%
- 2 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 4%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 4 Teacher Assistants (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 5 Office Clerks, General Very high -6.0% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 1% less than high school
- 25% high school
- 3% postsecondary certificate
- 8% associate's
- 62% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 27 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 11% less than high school
- 25% high school
- 32% some college
- 6% associate's
- 19% bachelor's
- 6% master's
- 1% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 2,289 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
1 program: Outdoor Education.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
39.8% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 0.7% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (RECREATION ASSISTANT). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Recreation Workers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/39-9032.00