Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for life guards in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 10,465 life guards currently employed in the United States.
- 36.9% of all life guards are women, while 63.1% are men.
- The average age of an employed life guard is 25 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of life guards is White (67.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.9%), Unknown (7.6%) and Black or African American (5.9%).
- In 2021, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 7% of all life guards are LGBT.
- Life guards are 50% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
Life Guard Statistics By Gender
36.9% of life guards are women and 63.1% of life guards are men.
- Male, 63.1%
- Female, 36.9%
Life Guards By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 63.1% |
| Female | 36.9% |
Gender Pay Gap For Life Guard
Women Earn 99¢ For Every $1 Earned By Men
Life Guard Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the life guard position over time.
Life Guard Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.20% | 47.80% |
| 2011 | 52.17% | 47.83% |
| 2012 | 47.49% | 52.51% |
| 2013 | 51.45% | 48.55% |
| 2014 | 52.97% | 47.03% |
| 2015 | 58.33% | 41.67% |
| 2016 | 59.44% | 40.56% |
| 2017 | 57.12% | 42.88% |
| 2018 | 58.26% | 41.74% |
| 2019 | 62.49% | 37.51% |
| 2020 | 65.51% | 34.49% |
| 2021 | 63.14% | 36.86% |
Life Guard Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Life Guard | 63% | 37% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Life Guard Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among life guards is White, which makes up 67.9% of all life guards. Comparatively, there are 13.9% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 7.6% of the Unknown ethnicity.
- White, 67.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.9%
- Unknown, 7.6%
- Black or African American, 5.9%
- Asian, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Life Guard Race
| Life Guard Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.9% |
| Unknown | 7.6% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% |
| Asian | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Life Guard Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among life guards.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Life Guard Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.71% | 6.82% | 2.85% | 12.11% |
| 2011 | 74.59% | 7.55% | 2.65% | 12.31% |
| 2012 | 75.43% | 7.05% | 1.98% | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 73.64% | 7.20% | 2.65% | 12.88% |
| 2014 | 74.03% | 6.68% | 3.49% | 12.23% |
| 2015 | 74.07% | 6.30% | 3.14% | 13.13% |
| 2016 | 74.17% | 5.87% | 3.32% | 12.45% |
| 2017 | 72.35% | 6.32% | 3.58% | 14.01% |
| 2018 | 71.30% | 5.85% | 4.32% | 14.10% |
| 2019 | 72.10% | 5.85% | 3.55% | 13.77% |
| 2020 | 67.43% | 6.39% | 4.37% | 14.81% |
| 2021 | 67.90% | 5.86% | 4.36% | 13.91% |
Life Guard Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $28,443 |
| White | $29,211 |
| Black or African American | $27,620 |
| Asian | $28,918 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $29,369 |
Average Age of a Life Guard
We determined the average age of life guards based on ethnicity and gender.
Life Guard Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 21.5 | 20 |
| White | 21 | 20 |
| Asian | 25 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21 | 20 |
Life Guard Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of life guard employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of life guards is 20-30 years old, which represents 36% of the population.
Life Guard Age
| Life Guard Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 12% |
| 30-40 years | 14% |
| 20-30 years | 36% |
Types of Life Guard Degree Levels
The most common degree for life guards is bachelor's degree 50% of life guards earn that degree. A close second is high school diploma with 29% and rounding it off is associate degree with 15%.
- Bachelors, 50%
- High School Diploma, 29%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Life Guards By Education
| Life Guard Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 50% |
| High School Diploma | 29% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Life Guard Jobs You Might Like
Life Guard Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $28,043 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $29,756 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $28,535 |
Life Guard Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where life guards work. We found most life guards work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most life guards is the government industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire life guards.
Life Guard Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
The Types Of Companies Life Guard Work In
Employees with the life guard job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most life guards prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Life Guard Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 50% |
| Government | 30% |
Top Industries Hiring Life Guards
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ life guards. Those industries include government, hospitality and education.
Life Guard Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 26% |
| Hospitality | 21% |
| Education | 9% |
| Non Profits | 7% |
| Media | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Life Guard Turnover And Employment Statistics
Life Guard Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of life guards changed.
- Unemployment rate
Life Guard Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Life Guard Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.01% |
| 2011 | 13.89% |
| 2012 | 12.79% |
| 2013 | 11.41% |
| 2014 | 11.93% |
| 2015 | 12.03% |
| 2016 | 10.37% |
| 2017 | 12.84% |
| 2018 | 9.60% |
| 2019 | 8.38% |
| 2020 | 15.70% |
| 2021 | 9.76% |
The Average Number of Years That Life Guard Stay in a Job
By looking over 4,883 life guards resumes, we figured out that the average life guard enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 40%.
Life Guard Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 40% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Life Guards with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to life guards.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| School Patrol | 3.84% | 39,950 |
| Operational Security Specialist | 6.29% | 87,810 |
| Loss Prevention Leader | 7.17% | 34,066 |
| Life Guard | 7.20% | - |
| Certified Legal Investigator | 8.27% | 43,351 |
| Transportation Security Screener | 15.51% | 52,947 |
Life Guard LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| School Patrol | 3.84% | 39,950 |
| Operational Security Specialist | 6.29% | 87,810 |
| Loss Prevention Leader | 7.17% | 34,066 |
| Certified Legal Investigator | 8.27% | 43,351 |
| Transportation Security Screener | 15.51% | 52,947 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Life Guards
The most common foreign language among life guards is Spanish at 58.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.7% and German is the third-most popular at 4.1%.
- Spanish, 58.1%
- French, 8.7%
- German, 4.1%
- Arabic, 4.1%
- Portuguese, 3.5%
- Other, 21.5%
Life Guard Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 58.1% |
| French | 8.7% |
| German | 4.1% |
| Arabic | 4.1% |
| Portuguese | 3.5% |
| Other | 21.5% |
