Workforce

The outdoor recreation industry is a growth industry that provides 5 million good jobs across the United States. Outdoor recreation jobs sustain economies, increase rural prosperity, improve public health outcomes, and promote environmental stewardship and conservation. Through various initiatives, ORR is working to help industry leaders, policymakers, and prospective workers understand how these jobs provide outstanding quality of life, support conservation goals, strengthen local economies, and connect Americans to the great outdoors.

Visit ORR’s Workforce Hub below and check out some of the other resources we’ve created to support and sustain the outdoor workforce.

NEW: To support the continued growth of the $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy and its 5.2 million American workers, the National Outdoor Recreation Workforce Consortium—led by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative at West Virginia University— released outdoor workforce policy recommendations in September 2026 developed in collaboration with colleges, universities, industry partners, and workforce development leaders from across the United States.

Leaders are investing in outdoor recreation resources and infrastructure in unprecedented ways and the outdoor industry is gaining recognition. It is time to invest in the maturity of the outdoor recreation industry in the long haul.

ORR’s 2022 report on the outdoor workforce aims to showcase the outdoor recreation workforce and broadcast the wide variety of available career paths in the outdoor industry.

To take stock of the outdoor industry’s workforce needs, ORR helped coordinate the Outdoor Industry Workforce Assessment with support from the VF Foundation, along with Oregon State University Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy, Outdoor Industry Association, Basecamp Outdoor, Path to Peak Education + Consulting, and the Confluence of States.

This report identifies trends in workforce hiring and retention, help further educational and up-skilling initiatives, and provide a snapshot of where the industry stands in its efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. Check out the report to see where the industry stands.