Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Educational Instruction and Library
Course topics include anatomy, therapeutic recreation, and conditioning theory, delivered as lectures to undergraduates or graduate students and followed by class discussion. Syllabi, homework, and handouts are prepared; curricula and teaching methods are planned and revised; exams, papers, and other assignments are graded; attendance and grades are recorded. Keeping up with the field means reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and attending conferences. The work is campus-based classroom teaching, with a clear record-keeping and performance-tracking side. It suits people who like explaining how bodies, recreation programs, and fitness theory work and who are comfortable tracking student progress over a term.
Typical education: Doctoral Degree (Ph.D., Ed.D.)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$77'270
Median Wage Market Position
$77'270
What you might do
- Teach courses on recreation, leisure, and fitness
- Lecture on anatomy, conditioning, and therapeutic recreation
- Facilitate discussions of exercise and leisure studies
- Grade student papers, assignments, and exams
- Redesign course content and instruction methods
- Keep attendance, grades, and other required records
Skills that matter
- Teaching anatomy, leisure, and conditioning
- Running discussions on recreation and fitness
- Tracking progress in fitness coursework
- Assessing work on therapeutic recreation
- Updating recreation and fitness curricula
- Writing fitness course outlines and exams
AI & the future of this role
Lecture content on exercise science and facilities topics could be drafted or graded with AI support. Movement labs and coaching still need in-person presence, yet much classroom delivery remains relatively exposed.
Does Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details