July 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 18

RESEARCH
NRPA Releases 2021 NRPA Park and
Recreation Salary Survey Report
By Melissa May
P
While
assionate and dedicated park and recreation professionals transform
our cities, towns and counties into vibrant, healthy communities.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there
were more than 163,000 full-time employees of local park and
recreation agencies throughout the United States in 2019, with several
hundred thousand more part-time and seasonal workers. It is these skilled
teams that program events, maintain facilities and ensure that every member
of the community can access and enjoy all that their local park and
recreation agencies have to offer.
the
coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic has had a
significant effect on the labor market,
many agencies continue to face
a competitive market for skilled
employees. Comprehensive compensation
data informs park and
recreation agency leaders on how
to attract the best staff. Such data
also can give park and recreation
professionals insights about salary
and benefits offered by potential
employers.
That is where the 2021 NRPA
Park and Recreation Salary Survey
comes in. This year's report features
compensation
data of 10
commonly found positions at park
and recreation agencies and details
general information about benefits
and salary policies.
The 2021 NRPA Park and Recreation
Salary Survey report features
detailed base salary and bonus data
for 10 typical park and recreation
agency positions.
Of course, no two park and recreation
agencies are exactly alike,
and neither are the compensation
packages they offer their teams.
This report presents compensation
data by agency size, type
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and certain demographic characteristics
of incumbents in the
positions (e.g., education, certifications
and years in the profession).
The analysis also examines
factors that determine pay raises
and bonuses (if offered) and highlights
other benefits that comprise
the full compensation package for
park and recreation professionals.
Compensation is more than just
base salaries. Benefits can greatly
increase the full financial value
of an employee's remuneration.
Employee benefits - including
paid
vacation
and
sick
leave,
maternity/paternity leave,
health and dental insurance,
and retirement plans - can
put thousands of additional
dollars into workers' pockets and
improve their standard of living.
Part-time and seasonal workers
are essential contributors to park
and recreation agencies' ability
to deliver services and amenities
to their communities. In many
cases, these positions are the first
job for young adults entering the
workforce. This report examines
minimum wage policies, including
the percentage of agencies that
pay federal minimum wage,
match a locality's and/or state's
minimum wage that is higher
than federal, and pay higher than
their locality's and/or state's
minimum wage.
The success of park and recreation
agencies would not be
possible without the dedication
of the tireless professionals who
serve these agencies. The ability
to make a real difference in
their communities is what draws
many park and recreation professionals
to this work. At the same
time, competitive compensation
packages - including base salaries
and benefits - are critical in
attracting and retaining the best
employees. Armed with information,
such as the compensation
data and sample job descriptions
presented in the 2021 NRPA Park
and Recreation Salary Survey report,
park and recreation agencies
can recruit and retain highly qualified
professionals to ensure that
those agencies best serve their
communities.
In
early
summer,
the
executive
summary of the 2021 NRPA Park
and Recreation Salary Survey will be
available on the NRPA website (nrpa.
org/SalarySurvey). The full report,
comprehensive salary data, sample job
descriptions, sample organization charts
and an online discussion group will
be available through NRPA Connect
(connect.nrpa.org).
Melissa May is NRPA's Senior Research
Manager (mmay@nrpa.org).
http://nrpa.org/salary-survey http://nrpa.org/salary-survey http://connect.nrpa.org
July 2021 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2021 - Parks & Recreation
