Best programs to become a first-line supervisor
1 college programs and 38 schools train First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $48,560 median wage, 103,190 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
1 college programs at 38 schools train first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, graduating 222 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Outdoor Education. The job pays a median of $48,560 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of entertainment and recreation related workers.
Best programs to study to become a first-line supervisor
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 31.0601 | 222 | 100.0% | 38 | $21,737 | — |
Top 38 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Lewis College Durango, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Outdoor Education | 36% | — | 77% |
| 2 | Prescott College Prescott, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Outdoor Education | 56% | $23,166 | 95% |
| 3 | Greenfield Community College Greenfield, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Outdoor Education | 31% | — | — |
| 4 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Outdoor Education | 60% | — | 82% |
| 5 | Minnesota North College Hibbing, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 11 | Outdoor Education | 42% | — | — |
| 6 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Outdoor Education | 59% | — | 90% |
| 7 | Young Harris College Young Harris, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Outdoor Education | 42% | $10,832 | 63% |
| 8 | Brevard College Brevard, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Outdoor Education | 49% | $21,334 | 42% |
| 9 | State University of New York at Cortland Cortland, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Outdoor Education | 68% | — | 60% |
| 10 | Montreat College Montreat, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Outdoor Education | 50% | $25,763 | 69% |
| 11 | Red Rocks Community College Lakewood, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Outdoor Education | 32% | — | — |
| 12 | Salisbury University Salisbury, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Outdoor Education | 68% | — | 87% |
| 13 | Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Outdoor Education | 43% | — | 96% |
| 14 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Outdoor Education | 53% | — | 86% |
| 15 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Outdoor Education | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 16 | Vermont State University Randolph, VT Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Outdoor Education | 47% | — | 82% |
| 17 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Outdoor Education | 84% | $33,688 | 66% |
| 18 | John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Outdoor Education | 72% | $20,325 | 76% |
| 19 | University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Outdoor Education | 30% | — | — |
| 20 | Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Outdoor Education | 42% | $22,259 | 71% |
| 21 | Alaska Pacific University Anchorage, AK Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 47% | $18,927 | 96% |
| 22 | Central Oregon Community College Bend, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 25% | — | — |
| 23 | College of Southern Idaho Twin Falls, ID Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 33% | — | — |
| 24 | Colorado Christian University Lakewood, CO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 64% | $23,447 | — |
| 25 | North Idaho College Coeur d'Alene, ID Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 38% | — | — |
| 26 | Plymouth State University Plymouth, NH Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 52% | — | 88% |
| 27 | Southwestern Community College Sylva, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 53% | — | — |
| 28 | SUNY Adirondack Queensbury, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Outdoor Education | 37% | — | — |
| 29 | Lees - McRae College Banner Elk, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Outdoor Education | 42% | $23,349 | 77% |
| 30 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Outdoor Education | 61% | — | 90% |
| 31 | Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Outdoor Education | 29% | — | — |
| 32 | Westminster University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Outdoor Education | 64% | $23,154 | 67% |
| 33 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Outdoor Education | 58% | — | 91% |
| 34 | New England College Henniker, NH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Outdoor Education | 35% | $30,086 | 92% |
| 35 | Sterling College Craftsbury Common, VT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Outdoor Education | 32% | $30,026 | 67% |
| 36 | The University of Montana Missoula, MT Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Outdoor Education | 48% | — | 96% |
| 37 | Toccoa Falls College Toccoa Falls, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Outdoor Education | 44% | $20,410 | 66% |
| 38 | Weber State University Ogden, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Outdoor Education | 46% | — | — |
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
What first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $49,040 | 3,590 | 1.09× | 7 | 44 |
| Coloradomoderate | $58,640 | 4,150 | 2.17× | 3 | 28 |
| Arizonalimited | $45,350 | 2,410 | 1.12× | 2 | 16 |
| Georgialimited | $44,400 | 3,100 | 0.95× | 2 | 12 |
| Massachusettslimited | $56,990 | 2,700 | 1.12× | 1 | 12 |
| New Yorklimited | $51,320 | 3,250 | 0.51× | 2 | 12 |
| Minnesotalimited | $50,410 | 1,800 | 0.92× | 1 | 11 |
| Michiganlimited | $43,540 | 2,860 | 0.98× | 1 | 10 |
| Alaskalimited | $54,530 | 490 | 2.25× | 2 | 9 |
| Idaholimited | $45,340 | 580 | 1.01× | 2 | 8 |
| Utahmoderate | $44,870 | 1,730 | 1.50× | 3 | 8 |
| Vermontlimited | $51,510 | 310 | 1.53× | 2 | 8 |
| Marylandlimited | $49,510 | 1,680 | 0.92× | 1 | 7 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $52,580 | 750 | 1.65× | 2 | 6 |
| South Dakotalimited | $44,470 | 210 | 0.69× | 1 | 6 |
| Tennesseelimited | $44,040 | 1,180 | 0.54× | 1 | 6 |
| Virginialimited | $47,410 | 3,060 | 1.12× | 1 | 6 |
| Arkansaslimited | $36,830 | 540 | 0.63× | 1 | 5 |
| Oregonlimited | $48,780 | 1,150 | 0.88× | 1 | 4 |
| Missourilimited | $47,530 | 1,190 | 0.61× | 1 | 2 |
| Montanalimited | $47,840 | 500 | 1.47× | 1 | 2 |
Skills and knowledge
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Analyze and record personnel or operational data and write related activity reports.
- Apply customer feedback to service improvement efforts.
- Assign work schedules, following work requirements, to ensure quality and timely delivery of service.
- Collaborate with staff members to plan or develop programs of events or schedules of activities.
- Direct or coordinate the activities of entertainment and recreation related workers.
- Furnish customers with information on events or activities.
- Inform workers about interests or special needs of specific groups.
- Inspect work areas or operating equipment to ensure conformance to established standards in areas such as cleanliness or maintenance.
How to get in
How to become a First-Line Supervisor
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 1 majors mapped to First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers1 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 31.0601Outdoor Education
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Outdoor Education, which awarded 222 degrees in 2024-25, 100.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 1 programs to this occupation. The largest are Outdoor Education. Together they graduate about 222 people a year.
How much do first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers earn?+
The median is $48,560 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $34,760 at the 10th percentile to $79,060 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers growing?+
BLS projects a +6.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 13,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
38 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 1 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Caddymaster, Hair Salon Manager, Recreation Coordinator, Community Life Director among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 39-1014.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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