Runs a city or county park system: parks, trails, pools, and the people who maintain them.
You start at a ribbon-cutting for a new splash pad, then meet the city council about next year's budget. In the afternoon you walk a trail with your landscape architects to plan a new bridge.
Large-city directors earn the most.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 10 years after high school. Bachelor's in parks and recreation, landscape architecture, or public administration; many have a master's and CPRP certification.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Parks & Recreation Management, Landscape Architecture, Public Administration.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps with budgets, schedules and grant writing; leading staff, public meetings and community trust stay human.
Classes: Government or civics, Biology, Public speaking.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9179.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.