Career profile · 11-9072
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
Plan, direct, or coordinate entertainment and recreational activities and operations of a recreational facility, including cruise ships and parks.
What the work can involve
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 74.1%08/2026 · sample 30 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 39.8%08/2026 · sample 29 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 79.0%08/2026 · sample 30 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 52.9%08/2026 · sample 30 |
| Spend Time Sitting | About half the time | 41.9%08/2026 · sample 30 |
| Spend Time Standing | About half the time | 41.9%08/2026 · sample 30 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Less than half the time | 45.5%08/2026 · sample 29 |
| Time Pressure | Once a week or more but not every day | 41.8%08/2026 · sample 29 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 40.1%08/2026 · sample 30 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 62.7%08/2026 · sample 30 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics, SAS
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: IBM Cognos Impromptu, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Qlik Tech QlikView
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox, Google Drive, Slack
- Computer based training software: Blackboard software
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software
- Data base reporting software: SAP Crystal Reports
- Data base user interface and query software: Airtable, Microsoft Access, Oracle Database
- Desktop communications software: Eko
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft SharePoint
- Electronic mail software: IBM Notes, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 48 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,540 | $31.99 | 190 |
| Alaska | $70,700 | $33.99 | 120 |
| Arizona | $76,550 | $36.80 | 880 |
| Arkansas | $49,640 | $23.87 | 230 |
| California | $79,550 | $38.25 | 7,000 |
| Colorado | $97,000 | $46.63 | 940 |
| Connecticut | $78,010 | $37.50 | 130 |
| District of Columbia | $113,930 | $54.77 | 30 |
| Florida | $83,520 | $40.15 | 2,620 |
| Georgia | $83,470 | $40.13 | 830 |
| Hawaii | $81,160 | $39.02 | 50 |
| Idaho | $95,020 | $45.68 | 110 |
| Illinois | $77,310 | $37.17 | 3,260 |
| Indiana | $62,760 | $30.17 | 340 |
| Iowa | $68,320 | $32.85 | 620 |
| Kansas | $69,990 | $33.65 | 100 |
| Kentucky | $80,130 | $38.52 | 300 |
| Louisiana | $62,390 | $30.00 | 90 |
| Maine | $82,780 | $39.80 | 70 |
| Maryland | $81,220 | $39.05 | 940 |
| Massachusetts | $89,450 | $43.01 | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $65,890 | $31.68 | 1,670 |
| Minnesota | $107,660 | $51.76 | 480 |
| Mississippi | $67,670 | $32.54 | 90 |
| Missouri | $83,620 | $40.20 | 370 |
| Nebraska | $63,270 | $30.42 | 310 |
| Nevada | $82,370 | $39.60 | 410 |
| New Hampshire | $80,090 | $38.51 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $89,590 | $43.07 | 2,260 |
| New Mexico | Not published | Not published | 80 |
| New York | $98,390 | $47.31 | 1,330 |
| North Carolina | $77,990 | $37.49 | 1,200 |
| Ohio | $58,440 | $28.10 | 1,280 |
| Oklahoma | $78,420 | $37.70 | 100 |
| Oregon | $78,200 | $37.60 | 930 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,990 | $33.17 | 1,220 |
| Rhode Island | $88,750 | $42.67 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $79,110 | $38.04 | 440 |
| South Dakota | $76,000 | $36.54 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $70,530 | $33.91 | 540 |
| Texas | $78,500 | $37.74 | 2,880 |
| Utah | $79,400 | $38.17 | 370 |
| Vermont | $92,320 | $44.38 | 270 |
| Virginia | $74,800 | $35.96 | 310 |
| Washington | $96,790 | $46.53 | 630 |
| West Virginia | $47,310 | $22.75 | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $77,140 | $37.09 | 170 |
| Wyoming | $88,790 | $42.69 | 70 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 206 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Fitness and Wellness Coordinators→
- Food Service Managers→
- Lodging Managers→
- Personal Service Managers, All Other→
- Spa Managers→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
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 CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 11-9072.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.