An activities director for a senior center is responsible for generating activities in which center attendees can engage. This might include art and exercise classes, special speakers, fun events and field trips. Depending on the size of the center, an activities director may work alone or with a staff to keep the fun going at the center during hours of operation. The salary for this professional varies, depending on the center itself and the experience of the professional.

Average Salary

An activities director for a senior center falls under the salary category of recreational therapist for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the BLS, these professionals bring home an average annual salary of $41,440, as of May 2010. The salaries range depending on location, from a lower annual average of $28,580 in Virginia to a higher payment amount of $69,400 annually in San Francisco.

Salaries According To State

Activities directors for senior centers have salaries that range vastly depending on the state in which they live. This may also have to do with whether or not the center is privately owned or owned and operated by a government entity. In Washington D.C., senior center activity directors may pull down an annual average salary of $57,560, while an activities director for the elderly in Connecticut may bring home an annual salary of $48,460. Those professionals living in Oregon bring home an annual salary of $48,420, while those living in California make $57,020 per year, according to the BLS.

Salaries According To City

Salaries vary according to city, as well, with some cities in the same state varying in salaries. For example, activities directors for a senior center in Pittsburgh might bring home $37,720 per year, while this same professional in Philadelphia brings home an average of $43,830. In New York state, the salaries are closer. In New York City, activities directors make $48,750 annually, while in Nassau, these directors make $47,610.

Hourly Rate For Activities Directors

Because some activities director jobs pay by the hour, it is important to know the hourly breakdown for this position. In the Napa Valley area of California, the average hourly pay is $32.59, according to the BLS, while the hourly rate in Los Angeles is $26.64. In Atlanta, the hourly rate is $18.32, and in Hartford, Connecticut, activities directors for a senior center may bring home $25.29 per hour.