Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers in the U.S. is $33,580 ($16.14 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $33,580
- Mean annual wage
- $34,470
- Median hourly wage
- $16.14
- Employment
- 157,550
157,550 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $25,780 | $12.40 |
| 25th percentile | $28,880 | $13.89 |
| Median (50th) | $33,580 | $16.14 |
| 75th percentile | $37,520 | $18.04 |
| 90th percentile | $43,970 | $21.14 |
Highest-paying states for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $60,400 | 290 |
| Hawaii | $52,630 | 720 |
| California | $42,720 | 22,620 |
| Washington | $37,770 | 4,720 |
| Montana | $37,750 | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $36,650 | 2,640 |
| New York | $36,590 | 8,740 |
| Vermont | $36,030 | 310 |
| Connecticut | $35,960 | 1,510 |
| Rhode Island | $35,770 | 370 |
Lowest-paying states
- Louisiana: $22,240 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $24,440 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $24,670 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $25,250 median annual wage
- Iowa: $25,460 median annual wage
About this occupation
Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants.
Typical tasks
- Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
- Provide assistance in the safe use of equipment, such as ski lifts.
- Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
- Observe activities in assigned areas, using binoculars, to detect hazards, disturbances, or safety infractions.
- Participate in recreational demonstrations to entertain resort guests.
- Complete and maintain records of weather and beach conditions, emergency medical treatments performed, and other relevant incident information.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 15.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 22.7% |
| Associate's degree | 9.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 40.6% |
| Master's degree | 8.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Crossing Guards and Flaggers$38,100
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.