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Life guard salary
Average life guard salary
$13.87
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Average life guard salary by state
Highest paying states for life guards
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $33,931 | $16.31 |
| 2 | California | $37,224 | $17.90 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $35,186 | $16.92 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $33,246 | $15.98 |
| 5 | Maine | $35,456 | $17.05 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $34,212 | $16.45 |
| 7 | New York | $32,868 | $15.80 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $29,135 | $14.01 |
| 9 | Washington | $39,419 | $18.95 |
| 10 | Vermont | $33,468 | $16.09 |
| 11 | Alaska | $31,155 | $14.98 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $28,160 | $13.54 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $29,736 | $14.30 |
| 14 | Arizona | $28,385 | $13.65 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $29,161 | $14.02 |
| 16 | Nevada | $27,696 | $13.32 |
| 17 | Oregon | $34,321 | $16.50 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $32,447 | $15.60 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $27,882 | $13.40 |
| 20 | Florida | $28,606 | $13.75 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $26,757 | $12.86 |
| 22 | Michigan | $27,558 | $13.25 |
| 23 | Colorado | $27,920 | $13.42 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $31,338 | $15.07 |
| 25 | Maryland | $29,318 | $14.10 |
| 26 | Utah | $26,744 | $12.86 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $26,685 | $12.83 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $26,952 | $12.96 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $30,090 | $14.47 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $25,783 | $12.40 |
| 31 | Delaware | $27,312 | $13.13 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $24,915 | $11.98 |
| 33 | Montana | $25,837 | $12.42 |
| 34 | Illinois | $26,288 | $12.64 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $27,521 | $13.23 |
| 36 | Texas | $25,137 | $12.09 |
| 37 | Kansas | $24,038 | $11.56 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $25,726 | $12.37 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $25,368 | $12.20 |
| 40 | Alabama | $23,628 | $11.36 |
| 41 | Georgia | $25,790 | $12.40 |
| 42 | Virginia | $26,204 | $12.60 |
| 43 | Missouri | $23,467 | $11.28 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $25,365 | $12.19 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $24,376 | $11.72 |
| 46 | Iowa | $21,958 | $10.56 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $24,550 | $11.80 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $23,366 | $11.23 |
| 49 | Ohio | $21,447 | $10.31 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $21,806 | $10.48 |
| 51 | Indiana | $20,151 | $9.69 |
Life guard salary details
A life guard's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a life guard's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| Average | $28,842 | $2,404 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying life guard jobs
The highest paying types of life guards are ski patrol director, rescue boat operator, and aquatics specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim Instructor | $25,815 | $2,151 | $12.41 | 24,849 |
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | $27,743 | $2,312 | $13.34 | 27,819 |
| Ocean Lifeguard | $29,909 | $2,492 | $14.38 | 3,316 |
Top companies hiring life guards now:
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Life guard salary trends
The average life guard salary has risen by $7,055 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average life guard earned $21,787 annually, but today, they earn $28,842 a year. That works out to a 23% change in pay for life guards over the last decade.
Compare life guard salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average life guard salary over time
Compare life guard salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Life guard salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,800 | $13.87 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $27,000 | $12.98 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $25,800 | $12.42 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $24,500 | $11.80 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | $23,400 | $11.24 | +3.9% |
Recently added life guard salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coast Guard Exchange | Life Guard INT | Kodiak, AK | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| St. Anne Institute | Life Guard | Albany, NY | 06/19/2025 | $48,001 |
| Monarch Investment | Life Guard/Pool Monitor | Maryland Heights, MO | 06/17/2025 | $33,392 |
| City of Key West | Life Guard | Key West, FL | 06/12/2025 | $44,495 |
| Hyatt Hotels Corp | Life Guard-Waterpark-/Casual | Indian Wells, CA | 05/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| St. Anne Institute | Life Guard | Albany, NY | 05/18/2025 | $48,001 |
| Salvation Army Careers | Life Guard | Nevada City, CA | 05/15/2025 | $19,566 |
| Coast Guard Exchange | Life Guard INT 5939 | Yorktown, VA | 04/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| Jewish Community Center Association of Indianapolis Inc. | Life Guard-Seasonal | Indianapolis, IN | 04/28/2025 | $27,131 |
| Shopcgx | Life Guard INT 5939 | Yorktown, VA | 04/28/2025 | $31,305 |
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