Outdoor Recreation Careers Outlook

A job in Outdoor Recreation could involve designing and/or leading recreational activities for groups or individuals in various landscape settings. From adventurous undertakings like mountain climbing, hunting, hiking, boating, and fishing to more leisurely activities like music and art in an outdoor setting – there is a variety of ways to work in Outdoor Recreation.

Ecoleaders interested in Outdoor Recreation jobs may seek a career as a Recreation and Park Management professionals. These professionals work as forest rangers, tour leaders, and special outdoor events coordinators. Whatever their role, Recreation and Park professionals help to ensure the accessibility to recreation, nurture the park, and create tourism opportunities.¹

In the United States, Outdoor Recreation generates more than $650 billion annually and provides tens of millions of jobs throughout the nation. Most of this outdoor recreation occurs in National and State Parks. National Parks reported an increase of nearly 10 million visitors from 2015 to 2016! To gain a greater understanding of the use and demand for National and State Parks, view the Outdoor Recreation Outlook 2017.²

In this Outlook you will find:

• Sizing Outdoor Recreation Jobs
• Salaries for Outdoor Recreation Jobs
• Required Education and Certifications
• Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Project Examples
• Resources

Sizing Outdoor Recreation Jobs

Outdoor Recreation jobs are expected to grow faster than average at 10% from 2014 to 2024. In other words, by 2024, the nation expects to have over 418,000 jobs in this sector. A quick internet search (September 2017) of LinkedIn jobs and Indeed shows over nearly 8,000 jobs related to Outdoor Recreation currently available. Jobs range from trail crews to park supervisors. ³ Listed below are some job titles at various levels that may interest Ecoleaders: ⁴

Salaries for Outdoor Recreation Jobs:

Salaries in Outdoor Recreation are highly variable as positions range from temporary camp counselor to Park Superintendent. The National Recreation and Park Association published the results of their 2018 salary survey with typical base salaries for 10 different job categories. These base salaries range from $100,000 for an Agency Director or Superintendent to $77,500 for an Assistant Director position, $60,000 for a Facilities Manager, and $49,500 for a program coordinator level position.⁵

Typically, we report Bureau of Labor Management average salaries for  the sector; however, the BLS noted that this sector in particular is influenced by many seasonal or part-time employees as camp counselors, activity specialists, etc. In 2016, Recreation Supervisors earned an average of $41,684. ⁶ Park Managers reportedly earned $52,144. ⁷ In regards to National Park jobs, Rangers and Guides earned $30,000-$44,000 annually⁸ while Superintendents earn $126,600. ⁹

Required Education and Certifications:

Because of the diversity of positions in Outdoor Recreation, you can start gaining experience even prior to high school graduation. However, those interested creating a long-term career should acquire a bachelor’s in Park Management, Tourism, Recreation and Park Management, Outdoor Recreation, or a closely related field. For mid-senior level positions, a bachelor’s degree plus experience is typically required and may call for a master’s degree.

Examples of Certification Programs in Outdoor Recreation:

• Red Rocks Community College | Outdoor Recreation Leadership
• International Wilderness Leadership School | Sea Kayaking
• National Outdoor Leadership School | Leadership Navigation Challenge
• American Mountain Guides Association | Climbing Wall Instructor
• Northern Arizona University | Parks and Recreation Management Certificate Program
• Wilderness Education Association | Outdoor Leader

Examples of Academic Programs in Outdoor Recreation:

• East Carolina University | Recreation and Park Management (B.S.)
• Arizona State University | Parks and Recreation Management (B.S.)
• Texas A&M | Recreation, Park and Tourism Science (B.S.)
• Southern Utah University | Outdoor Recreation (B.S.)
• University of Montana | Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (M.S)
• Texas State University | Parks and Recreation Management (B.S.)
• Temple University | Recreation Therapy (M.S.)

 

Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Project Examples from the NWF Sustainability Database:

Outdoor Recreation EcoTopic Page - Start here to find lots of resources for you to start and share your own Campus or Community Outdoor Recreation EcoProject in the EcoLeaders community! Or find inspiration from the following projects that other EcoLeaders have done:

• Fossil Fuel Free Fish House - Bemidji State University in Northern Minnesota constructed an ice fishing house that is heated and energized through solar power. The house is available to rent through the Outdoor program center.
• Blue Ridge School Interpretive Trail - This school in Virginia created a 1 mile interpretive loop trail that serves as a “lab” for their Mountain Ecology course. The trail is used year-round to demonstrate seasonal changes, cameras track wildlife movement, and there is a plethora of signage that helps students identify the local vegetation and interpret the natural history. In addition to education purposes, the trail is used for recreation such as hiking and biking.
• Florida Black Bear Trail - University of Delaware students participated in creating the Florida Black Bear Trail at Lettuce Lake Regional County Park. The trail is interactive and educational, allowing users to “follow” a black bear throughout a year with a compassing application on their phones.

RESOURCES:

1. “Recreation and Parks Management: Academic Requirements, Professional Outlook.” Environmental Programs. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
2. “Outdoor Recreation Outlook 2017.” American Recreation Coalition. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
3. “Recreation Workers.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
4. ”Recreation and Parks Management: Academic Requirements, Professional Outlook.” Environmental Programs. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
5. “NRPA Park and Recreation Salary Survey Report.” National Recreation and Park Association. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
6. “Average Salary for Industry: Parks and Recreation.” PayScale. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
7. “Park Manager Salaries in the United States.” Indeed. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
8. “National Park Service.” Glassdoor. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
9. “Park Superintendent Salary in United States.” Salary Expert. Retrieved September 6, 2017.

By: Christina Lopez, NWF EcoLeaders Fellow 2017; updated July 2018 by David Corsar, NWF Career Center Manager