Recreation Workers build coordination, service orientation and social perceptiveness skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Social and Community Service Managers (87%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social and Community Service Managers | 87% | $80,390 | +120% | None |
| 2 | Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | 86% | $79,520 | +118% | None |
| 3 | Fitness and Wellness Coordinators | 83% | $69,770Pay for the broader BLS group “Personal Service Managers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Social and Human Service Assistants | 81% | $45,930 | +26% | None |
| 5 | Coaches and Scouts | 80% | $47,320 | +29% | None |
| 6 | Recreational Therapists | 80% | $61,960 | +69% | None |
| 7 | Directors, Religious Activities and Education | 80% | $52,100 | +43% | None |
| 8 | First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | 78% | $48,590 | +33% | None |
| 9 | Instructional Coordinators | 77% | $77,440 | +112% | Graduate degree |
| 10 | Training and Development Managers | 77% | $133,000 | +264% | None |
Compared with Recreation Workers, median $36,560. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as recreation workers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
87% skill match · $80,390 · +120% pay
Systems Evaluation · Judgment and Decision Making · Systems Analysis
86% skill match · $79,520 · +118% pay
Management of Financial Resources · Judgment and Decision Making · Time Management
83% skill match · $69,770 (broader BLS group)
Management of Financial Resources · Equipment Selection · Equipment Maintenance
No work-context factor stands out as unusually hard in O*NET data.
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Social and Community Service Managers (87% skill match, median $80,390), Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling (86% skill match, median $79,520) and Fitness and Wellness Coordinators (83% skill match, median $69,770), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 24 pay more than recreation workers at the median. The biggest increases: Training and Development Managers (+264%, $133,000), Social and Community Service Managers (+120%, $80,390) and Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling (+118%, $79,520).
22 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. 3 usually need a graduate degree: Instructional Coordinators, Rehabilitation Counselors and Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.