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Coach/instructor vs swim coach

The differences between coach/instructors and swim coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a coach/instructor and a swim coach. Additionally, a coach/instructor has an average salary of $52,182, which is higher than the $33,923 average annual salary of a swim coach.

The top three skills for a coach/instructor include classroom management, math and instructional support. The most important skills for a swim coach are CPR, customer service, and lifeguard.

Coach/instructor vs swim coach overview

Coach/InstructorSwim Coach
Yearly salary$52,182$33,923
Hourly rate$25.09$16.31
Growth rate20%20%
Number of jobs40,98615,871
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age3636
Years of experience66

What does a coach/instructor do?

A Coach/Instructor teaches athletes the correct way to play a sport. They offer professional development and improvement guidance to high school students, college students, and other individuals.

What does a swim coach do?

A swim coach is someone who teaches and trains people how to swim. A swim coach provides tips and techniques for people to follow if they want to learn how to swim. Demand for swimming teachers is growing, especially during summer where people travel to the beach and resorts to enjoy their vacations. A swim coach should know how to determine a student's skill, provide suitable teaching methods, and enhance the student's current swimming skill through specialized and customized swimming lessons.

Coach/instructor vs swim coach salary

Coach/instructors and swim coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.

Coach/InstructorSwim Coach
Average salary$52,182$33,923
Salary rangeBetween $37,000 And $72,000Between $24,000 And $47,000
Highest paying CitySunnyvale, CALynn, MA
Highest paying stateHawaiiHawaii
Best paying companySaint Xavier UniversityThe Agnes Irwin School
Best paying industryGovernmentEducation

Differences between coach/instructor and swim coach education

There are a few differences between a coach/instructor and a swim coach in terms of educational background:

Coach/InstructorSwim Coach
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorElementary EducationKinesiology
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Coach/instructor vs swim coach demographics

Here are the differences between coach/instructors' and swim coaches' demographics:

Coach/InstructorSwim Coach
Average age3636
Gender ratioMale, 41.8% Female, 58.2%Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between coach/instructor and swim coach duties and responsibilities

Coach/instructor example responsibilities.

  • Manage and schedule local and national soccer competitions.
  • Present information of math program through PowerPoint presentation to parents and community.
  • Teach students in GED program.
  • Serve on district wide PBIS team.
  • Monitor data on ESE, ESL populations.
  • Assist in IEP development and transition plan development.
  • Show more

Swim coach example responsibilities.

  • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
  • Instruct children, in groups and individually, on the specifics of softball skills.
  • Teach and demonstrate use of swimming equipment such as flippers, flotation devices, and kicking boards.
  • Provide a strong focus on improve leadership, discipline and group cohesion as well as a process orient approach to swimming.
  • Assess & instruct students on swimming styles from the basics to technicalities in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.
  • Instruct students to swim freestyle independently
  • Show more

Coach/instructor vs swim coach skills

Common coach/instructor skills
  • Classroom Management, 8%
  • Math, 6%
  • Instructional Support, 6%
  • Student Learning, 6%
  • Professional Growth, 6%
  • Curriculum Development, 6%
Common swim coach skills
  • CPR, 36%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Lifeguard, 11%
  • Kids, 7%
  • Water Safety, 7%
  • Training Programs, 7%

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