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The differences between lifeguard/swim instructors and instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instructor has an average salary of $53,426, which is higher than the $27,743 average annual salary of a lifeguard/swim instructor.
The top three skills for a lifeguard/swim instructor include first-aid, lifeguard training and customer service. The most important skills for an instructor are customer service, CPR, and course curriculum.
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $27,743 | $53,426 |
| Hourly rate | $13.34 | $25.69 |
| Growth rate | - | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 27,819 | 39,273 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 26 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The primary job of lifeguards and swimming instructors is to keep an eye and teach swimmers at both private and public beaches, pools, private resorts, public parks, and summer camps. They implement local laws and regulations of the facility and provide help to swimmers who are in need. One of their essential duties is to prevent fatal accidents and injuries. They are trained in the different techniques of first aid, water rescue, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They mostly teach children, though they teach people of all ages.
Instructors are responsible for imparting knowledge to students. They are well-versed in different topics related to their area of teaching. They prepare lessons, create presentation materials and other collaterals, and present these to the students. They manage the classroom and ensure that students are attentive. Instructors are also responsible for creating ways to check the students' knowledge retention through schoolwork and examinations. They also evaluate their teaching style as well to further improve their skills for the next batch of students. Instructors should be patient, creative, and well-versed in classroom management.
Lifeguard/swim instructors and instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | Instructor | |
| Average salary | $27,743 | $53,426 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $35,000 | Between $30,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | The Phelps School | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a lifeguard/swim instructor and an instructor in terms of educational background:
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between lifeguard/swim instructors' and instructors' demographics:
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | Instructor | |
| Average age | 26 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.1% Female, 60.9% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.3% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 9.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |