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Careers›Roles›Lifestyle Director
Director

Lifestyle Director

The leader who owns lifestyle programming for a residential community, club, resort, or senior living setting — designing the social, recreational, and wellness experiences that define daily life for residents or members. Half program leader, half community-facing presence.

Lifestyle Director pay typically runs $83K–$111K at this level, and jobs in this field are projected to grow 7% through 2034.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
S
E
C
R
I
A
Socialhelping, teaching
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Lifestyle Directors
Technology & InformationConsumer Services · 40%Entertainment & Media · 18%Healthcare · 18%Hospitality & Food Service · 8%Education · 4%
Job markets for Lifestyle Directors
Where Lifestyle Director jobs concentrate · ~34 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Personal CareBusiness Operations
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers

While you’re learning about the Lifestyle Director role, anything we can help you with this week?

What it's like

What it's like to be a Lifestyle Director

Most days tend to involve a blend of program design, resident or member engagement, and operational coordination — visiting active programs, meeting with residents or members on suggestions and feedback, and partnering with marketing, F&B, and facilities. You'll often spend part of the time on strategic priorities like program direction, partnerships, and technology.

The harder part is often designing programming that serves a heterogeneous community — different ages, interests, mobility levels, and preferences under one calendar. You'll typically balance broad-appeal programming with niche offerings, and absorb the visibility of programs that work or don't work in front of residents who notice every detail.

People who tend to thrive here are creative, relational, and operationally fluent. The trade-off is the schedule and the visibility — lifestyle programming happens evenings and weekends, and feedback is immediate. If you find satisfaction in shaping the experience that residents or members associate with the place, this role can be quietly meaningful at the community scale.

What people in this role value
RelationshipsHigh
IndependenceHigh
AchievementAbove avg
RecognitionAbove avg
Working ConditionsModerate
SupportModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns

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Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$101K+9%
Energy & Utilities$100K+8%
Professional Services$98K+6%
Financial Services$83K-11%
Government$76K-17%
Compared to Personal Care average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Lifestyle Directors (SOC 11-9179.01), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Personal Care →
Lifestyle DirectorHealth and Wellness DirectorWellness DirectorWellness Programs DirectorSports, Fitness, and Wellness DirectorFitness DirectorFitness and Wellness Director
Also appears in: Business Operations

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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$37K–$111K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
10K
U.S. Employment
+6.5%
10yr Growth
2K
Annual Openings

How Lifestyle Director pay & employment are changing

$74K$71K$68K$65K$62K201920202021202220232024$62K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

SpeakingService OrientationCoordinationSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionWritingManagement of Personnel ResourcesActive Learning
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
11-9179.01

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midFitness Coordinator$61KmidFitness and Wellness Manager$61KmidGym Manager$82KmidCertified Wellness Program Manager$61KmidGroup Fitness Manager (GFM)$61KmidEmployee Assistance Program Wellness Coordinator (EAP Wellness Coordinator)$61K
View all Personal Care roles →

Common questions about what it's like to be a Lifestyle Director

What does a Lifestyle Director do?

The leader who owns lifestyle programming for a residential community, club, resort, or senior living setting — designing the social, recreational, and wellness experiences that define daily life for residents or members. Half program leader, half community-facing presence.

How much does a Lifestyle Director make?

Median pay for a Lifestyle Director is about $61K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $37K to $111K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does a Lifestyle Director need?

Core skills for this role include Speaking, Service Orientation, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness, and Active Listening.

What education do you need to be a Lifestyle Director?

Most people in this role hold a master's degree.

Is a Lifestyle Director in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to grow about 6.5% through 2034, with roughly 10,490 people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to a Lifestyle Director?

Closely related roles include Fitness Coordinator, Fitness and Wellness Manager, and Gym Manager.

Career advice

Lifestyle Director career advice

Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.

  • Quick moveCut the updates nobody reads, and make the ones that matter land.Ask which updates your manager actually reads
  • WorksheetUnderstand how a colleague communicates, and ask in a way that lands.Notice where your styles differ
  • Simple exerciseSee a company the way its own people do, before you ask to join it.Understand a company before you apply
  • ConversationLearn how things really work where you are, from someone who has already figured it out.Learn the unwritten rules

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More career advice

  • Test two industries you've wondered about
  • Reshape your job toward what you enjoy
  • Learn how each person likes to work
  • Build the case for your report's raise
  • Understand how pay is decided where you work
  • Run a meeting worth attending
  • Learn your manager's goals
  • Check the story you're telling yourself

We believe careers grow through small steps taken often, more than big leaps. So we’ve collected hundreds of them for you to try.

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.

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