Career-PathGPS
← All education and training
Career

First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of entertainment and recreation related workers.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $48,560 Median per year · $23.34/hr Most earn $34,760–$79,060

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Train workers in proper operational procedures and functions and explain company policies.
  • Provide staff with assistance in performing difficult or complicated duties.
  • Assign work schedules, following work requirements, to ensure quality and timely delivery of service.
  • Recruit and hire staff members.
  • Inspect work areas or operating equipment to ensure conformance to established standards in areas such as cleanliness or maintenance.
  • Plan, direct, or supervise recreational and entertainment activities led by staff, such as sports, aquatics, games, or performing arts.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 10,600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals19.8%
  • Fitness and recreational sports centers13.4%
  • Motion picture and video exhibition9.3%
  • Amusement parks and arcades6.6%
  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)4.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This career usually starts with a high school diploma, but most people first spend about 2 to 4 years working as entertainment or recreation staff before they supervise others. Expect roughly 6 to 8 years from starting high school to a supervisor role.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and build people skills, teamwork, and experience with events or activities, since this is the typical minimum education for this career.

  2. Recreation Leader

    2-4 years

    Plan and run games, sports, camps, or events for guests or community members, learning how activities run and how to handle a crowd.

  3. First-Line Supervisor of Entertainment and Recreation Workers

    Ongoing

    Schedule, train, and direct a small team of entertainment and recreation workers, making sure activities run safely and smoothly.

Where it can lead

  1. Recreation Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You oversee several programs or sites, set budgets and schedules, and manage supervisors rather than only one team; moving up usually means proving you can run bigger operations well.

  2. First-Line Supervisor of Personal Service Workers

    2-4 years of experience first

    This is a related supervisory role that usually asks for an associate degree; it can be a good option if you want to supervise service-focused staff in a different setting.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take public speaking or communication classesSpeaking clearly and leading groups are daily tasks for this job, and these classes build that comfort.
  • Join a club or drama, dance, or sports teamTaking a leadership role, like captain or stage manager, shows you can organize others.
  • Volunteer at a community center, library, or campHelping run kids' activities or community events gives you real experience with planning and working with the public.
  • Get a starter job at a recreation center, pool, or event venueEntry jobs like lifeguard or camp counselor build the 2 to 4 years of experience this career usually requires.
  • Get first aid and CPR trainingMany recreation employers want this certification, and it shows you can keep people safe.

In college

  • Major in recreation, event management, or hospitalityThese majors teach planning, budgeting, and program operations that match what entertainment and recreation supervisors do.
  • Take a course in people management or leadershipLearning how to schedule, coach, and give feedback prepares you for supervising a team.
  • Work a campus job in events or recreationJobs at the rec center, student union, or campus events office give you experience with real activities and real supervisors.
  • Join a student activities board or event planning groupPlanning events for other students builds the coordination skills employers look for.
  • Pursue a summer internship or seasonal job at a park, resort, or entertainment venueSummer work adds hands-on experience and gives you contacts who can help you move into supervisor roles later.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for part-time or seasonal jobs at a community center, park district, camp, theme park, or event venue. Hands-on experience counts toward the 2 to 4 years people usually need.
  • Volunteer to lead games, activities, or small events early on. Being the person who runs things is the closest practice you can get for supervision.
  • Check local job postings for supervisor roles to see which skills and certifications employers ask for, such as first aid or CPR, and start earning them.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

Related careers