First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers lead teams that keep venues, events, and recreation programs running smoothly. You can start with a high school diploma and move into this role through hands-on experience. Here is what the work involves, what it takes, and how to get there.
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You oversee entertainment and recreation workers across venues, events, and programs. Your day involves scheduling staff, ensuring quality service, handling guest concerns, and maintaining safety standards. You work directly with your team to solve problems on the spot, whether that means stepping in during a busy shift or training new employees on procedures. You coordinate with other departments to keep operations running smoothly and report to upper management on performance and staffing needs.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services earn a median of $48,560 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 13,400 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
Most people start with a high school diploma and gain experience working in entertainment or recreation settings. You might begin as a front-line worker in a venue, event space, or recreation facility, learning operations from the ground up. As you develop skills and demonstrate leadership ability, you move into supervisory roles. Some employers prefer candidates who have worked in the industry for a few years before promoting them to first-line supervisor positions.
Most people reach this role by working their way up in entertainment or recreation settings. If you are exploring whether this path fits your timeline and interests, Pathly can map the first-line supervisor of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services path that fits you with your counselor to map out the steps that make sense for you.
You are enterprising and enjoy leading people toward goals. You thrive in dynamic environments where you can influence outcomes and build strong teams.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).