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Best states for a beach lifeguard
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like beach lifeguards are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for beach lifeguards aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of beach lifeguards in America is $36,000.
California is the best state for jobs for beach lifeguards, and Georgia is the worst. The most common pay in California is $36,484, while the median pay in Georgia is $21,671.If you are currently seeking employment as a beach lifeguard, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for beach lifeguards in 2025
1. California
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $36,484 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
2. Maine
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $35,496 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
3. Arizona
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $31,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.72
4. Washington
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $35,201 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.53
5. Connecticut
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $32,347 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
6. Massachusetts
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $33,721 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.42
7. Florida
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 61 Average annual salary: $29,546 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 3.02
8. Wisconsin
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $29,156 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
9. Idaho
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $33,962 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0
10. Vermont
Total beach lifeguard jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $33,563 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0
Beach lifeguard jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a beach lifeguard
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a beach lifeguard
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $36,484 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 69 |
| 2 | Maine | $35,496 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 1 |
| 3 | Arizona | $31,786 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 13 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,201 | $27,000 | 7,405,743 | 5 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $32,347 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 5 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $33,721 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 5 |
| 7 | Florida | $29,546 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 61 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $29,156 | $22,000 | 5,795,483 | 10 |
| 9 | Idaho | $33,962 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 0 |
| 10 | Vermont | $33,563 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 0 |
| 11 | Nevada | $27,748 | $21,000 | 2,998,039 | 18 |
| 12 | Colorado | $29,575 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 13 |
| 13 | Alaska | $32,407 | $27,000 | 739,795 | 0 |
| 14 | New York | $31,327 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 14 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $29,539 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 0 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $28,510 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 2 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $26,853 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 1 |
| 18 | Delaware | $28,343 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 2 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $29,322 | $23,000 | 1,059,639 | 0 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $27,839 | $21,000 | 5,576,606 | 8 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $28,604 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 0 |
| 22 | Maryland | $28,061 | $21,000 | 6,052,177 | 23 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $27,039 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 2 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $26,737 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 10 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $28,093 | $22,000 | 9,005,644 | 8 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $27,106 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 0 |
| 27 | Montana | $25,918 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 5 |
| 28 | Utah | $26,744 | $20,000 | 3,101,833 | 2 |
| 29 | Illinois | $27,095 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 6 |
| 30 | Ohio | $25,982 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 4 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $30,619 | $26,000 | 1,427,538 | 0 |
| 32 | Texas | $26,447 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 14 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $25,215 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 13 |
| 34 | Virginia | $26,349 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 14 |
| 35 | Oregon | $27,558 | $21,000 | 4,142,776 | 1 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $26,013 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 0 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $25,917 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 1 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $27,882 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 0 |
| 39 | Michigan | $25,760 | $20,000 | 9,962,311 | 3 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $25,562 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $25,197 | $19,000 | 2,984,100 | 2 |
| 42 | Missouri | $25,124 | $19,000 | 6,113,532 | 5 |
| 43 | Kansas | $22,670 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 5 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $23,591 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 2 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $24,035 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 5 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $24,604 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 0 |
| 47 | Iowa | $20,653 | $16,000 | 3,145,711 | 4 |
| 48 | Alabama | $23,978 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 0 |
| 49 | Indiana | $20,426 | $15,000 | 6,666,818 | 8 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $22,397 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 1 |
| 51 | Georgia | $21,671 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 4 |
Highest paying states for beach lifeguards
| Rank | State | Avg. Beach Lifeguard Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $36,484 |
| 2 | Maine | $35,496 |
| 3 | Arizona | $31,786 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,201 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $32,347 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $33,721 |
| 7 | Florida | $29,546 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $29,156 |
| 9 | Idaho | $33,962 |
| 10 | Vermont | $33,563 |
| 11 | Nevada | $27,748 |
| 12 | Colorado | $29,575 |
| 13 | Alaska | $32,407 |
| 14 | New York | $31,327 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $29,539 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $28,510 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $26,853 |
| 18 | Delaware | $28,343 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $29,322 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $27,839 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $28,604 |
| 22 | Maryland | $28,061 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $27,039 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $26,737 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $28,093 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $27,106 |
| 27 | Montana | $25,918 |
| 28 | Utah | $26,744 |
| 29 | Illinois | $27,095 |
| 30 | Ohio | $25,982 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $30,619 |
| 32 | Texas | $26,447 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $25,215 |
| 34 | Virginia | $26,349 |
| 35 | Oregon | $27,558 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $26,013 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $25,917 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $27,882 |
| 39 | Michigan | $25,760 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $25,562 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $25,197 |
| 42 | Missouri | $25,124 |
| 43 | Kansas | $22,670 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $23,591 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $24,035 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $24,604 |
| 47 | Iowa | $20,653 |
| 48 | Alabama | $23,978 |
| 49 | Indiana | $20,426 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $22,397 |
| 51 | Georgia | $21,671 |
Beach lifeguard best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025