Lifeguard/head lifeguard vs pool lifeguard

The differences between lifeguards/head lifeguards and pool lifeguards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pool lifeguard has an average salary of $28,274, which is higher than the $28,189 average annual salary of a lifeguard/head lifeguard.

The top three skills for a lifeguard/head lifeguard include first-aid, customer service and water safety. The most important skills for a pool lifeguard are CPR, first-aid, and water safety.

Lifeguard/head lifeguard vs pool lifeguard overview

	Lifeguard/Head Lifeguard	Pool Lifeguard
Yearly salary	$28,189	$28,274
Hourly rate	$13.55	$13.59
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	12,052	4,609
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	26	26
Years of experience	-	-

Lifeguard/head lifeguard vs pool lifeguard salary

Lifeguards/head lifeguards and pool lifeguards have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Lifeguard/Head Lifeguard	Pool Lifeguard
Average salary	$28,189	$28,274
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $35,000	Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	Union City, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Trustmark Insurance Co	Mt. Hood Community College
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between lifeguard/head lifeguard and pool lifeguard education

There are a few differences between a lifeguard/head lifeguard and a pool lifeguard in terms of educational background:

	Lifeguard/Head Lifeguard	Pool Lifeguard
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Lifeguard/head lifeguard vs pool lifeguard demographics

Here are the differences between lifeguards/head lifeguards' and pool lifeguards' demographics:

	Lifeguard/Head Lifeguard	Pool Lifeguard
Average age	26	26
Gender ratio	Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7%	Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.3% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between lifeguard/head lifeguard and pool lifeguard duties and responsibilities

Lifeguard/head lifeguard example responsibilities.

Manage and trained15 lifeguards, which develop leadership skills, provide experience handling administrative issues.
Supervise pool maintenance, CPR, AED-PR, first-aid, record keeping, and customer service
Examine injured persons/administered first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary.
Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation when necessary.
Obtain and maintain required certifications.
Maintain all first-aid and medical emergency equipment.

Pool lifeguard example responsibilities.

Manage and trained15 lifeguards, which develop leadership skills, provide experience handling administrative issues.
Order parts from various vendors, work with HVAC service company.
Learned life saving skills with certifications in both first aid and CPR.
Maintain optimal pool and facility cleanliness.
Provide exemplary cleanliness and monitor safe chemical levels.
Examine injured persons, administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation or contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury.

Lifeguard/head lifeguard vs pool lifeguard skills

Common lifeguard/head lifeguard skills

First-Aid, 22%
Customer Service, 14%
Water Safety, 10%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%
Aquatic Facility, 6%

Common pool lifeguard skills

CPR, 25%
First-Aid, 21%
Water Safety, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%
Emergency Situations, 4%
Pool Deck, 4%

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Protective Service Industry
Lifeguard/Head Lifeguard
Lifeguard/Head Lifeguard vs Pool Lifeguard

Updated January 8, 2025

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