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Lifeguard/swim instructor salary
Average lifeguard/swim instructor salary
$13.34
Understanding Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Salaries
The average salary for a lifeguard/swim instructor is around $27,743 per year, which equates to about $13 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific facilities where instructors work.
Where Can You Earn More?
States such as California and Florida often offer higher pay rates due to their demand for lifeguards and swim instructors, especially in tourist-heavy areas. Cities like Los Angeles and Miami are known for competitive pay. Additionally, specialized roles in private swim schools or competitive sports teams may provide enhanced earning potential.
Career Opportunities
As a lifeguard or swim instructor, you can explore various job settings, including public swimming pools, private clubs, and recreational facilities. This role not only emphasizes safety but also helps develop communication and teaching skills, making it an ideal foundation for future career advancements in education or recreation management.
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Where can a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor earn more?
Average lifeguard/swim instructor salary by state
The average lifeguard/swim instructor salary in Maine, Illinois, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lifeguard/swim instructor salary states are Alabama, Iowa, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lifeguard/swim instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $33,227 | $15.97 |
| 2 | California | $34,105 | $16.40 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $33,951 | $16.32 |
| 4 | Illinois | $34,459 | $16.57 |
| 5 | Vermont | $32,926 | $15.83 |
| 6 | Maine | $34,886 | $16.77 |
| 7 | Michigan | $28,234 | $13.57 |
| 8 | New York | $31,229 | $15.01 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $26,598 | $12.79 |
| 10 | Idaho | $32,978 | $15.85 |
| 11 | Nevada | $26,887 | $12.93 |
| 12 | Washington | $32,737 | $15.74 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $31,734 | $15.26 |
| 14 | Alaska | $28,743 | $13.82 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $32,384 | $15.57 |
| 16 | Indiana | $31,532 | $15.16 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $27,795 | $13.36 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $28,387 | $13.65 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $28,329 | $13.62 |
| 20 | Texas | $27,102 | $13.03 |
| 21 | Maryland | $29,310 | $14.09 |
| 22 | Colorado | $26,571 | $12.77 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $26,428 | $12.71 |
| 24 | Delaware | $26,450 | $12.72 |
| 25 | Virginia | $26,593 | $12.79 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $28,830 | $13.86 |
| 27 | Montana | $25,674 | $12.34 |
| 28 | Utah | $26,040 | $12.52 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $28,485 | $13.69 |
| 30 | Arizona | $26,740 | $12.86 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $25,391 | $12.21 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $25,678 | $12.35 |
| 33 | Kansas | $25,745 | $12.38 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $25,154 | $12.09 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $25,556 | $12.29 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $25,459 | $12.24 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $24,208 | $11.64 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $23,220 | $11.16 |
| 39 | Florida | $24,715 | $11.88 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $25,162 | $12.10 |
| 41 | Georgia | $22,510 | $10.82 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $26,619 | $12.80 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $23,047 | $11.08 |
| 44 | Iowa | $22,713 | $10.92 |
| 45 | Missouri | $25,220 | $12.13 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $23,311 | $11.21 |
| 47 | New Jersey | $21,523 | $10.35 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $23,102 | $11.11 |
| 49 | Alabama | $22,980 | $11.05 |
| 50 | Ohio | $21,000 | $10.10 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $21,637 | $10.40 |
Highest paying cities for lifeguard/swim instructors
The highest-paying cities for lifeguard/swim instructors are Sunnyvale, CA, Chicago, IL, and Lacey, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | $35,075 | $16.86 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $34,489 | $16.58 |
| 3 | Lacey, WA | $33,049 | $15.89 |
| 4 | New Rochelle, NY | $31,348 | $15.07 |
| 5 | Ellicott City, MD | $29,372 | $14.12 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $28,530 | $13.72 |
| 7 | Alexandria, VA | $27,051 | $13.01 |
| 8 | Prescott, AZ | $26,849 | $12.91 |
| 9 | Loveland, CO | $26,659 | $12.82 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $26,611 | $12.79 |
| 11 | Erie, PA | $25,821 | $12.41 |
| 12 | Great Falls, MT | $25,713 | $12.36 |
| 13 | OFallon, MO | $25,212 | $12.12 |
| 14 | Gainesville, FL | $24,848 | $11.95 |
| 15 | Appleton, WI | $23,552 | $11.32 |
| 16 | Mentor, OH | $21,544 | $10.36 |
Lifeguard/swim instructor salary details
A lifeguard/swim instructor's salary ranges from $21,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lifeguard/swim instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| Average | $27,743 | $2,312 | $13 |
| 25th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
Highest paying lifeguard/swim instructor jobs
The highest paying types of lifeguard/swim instructors are instructor, head swim coach, and aquatics specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim Coach | $33,923 | $2,827 | $16.31 | 15,871 |
| Ocean Lifeguard | $29,909 | $2,492 | $14.38 | 3,316 |
| Instructor | $53,426 | $4,452 | $25.69 | 39,273 |
| Swim Instructor | $25,815 | $2,151 | $12.41 | 24,849 |
Top companies hiring lifeguard/swim instructors now:
Which companies pay lifeguard/swim instructors the most?
Lifeguard/swim instructor salaries at The Phelps School and Pace University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lifeguard/swim instructor salary at companies like Freeport-McMoRan and Salt Lake County are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Phelps School | $55,897 | $26.87 |
| 2 | Pace University | $46,079 | $22.15 |
| 3 | Freeport-McMoRan | $41,256 | $19.83 |
| 4 | Salt Lake County | $38,095 | $18.31 |
| 5 | Gainesville Regional Utilities | $36,605 | $17.60 |
| 6 | Mt. Hood Community College | $34,047 | $16.37 |
| 7 | Esf, Inc. | $32,373 | $15.56 |
| 8 | City of New London | $31,050 | $14.93 |
| 9 | Allina Health | $30,955 | $14.88 |
| 10 | Frederick County | $30,887 | $14.85 |
| 11 | Pasadena Unified School District | $30,620 | $14.72 |
| 12 | City of La Mesa | $30,232 | $14.53 |
| 13 | City of Bozeman | $28,989 | $13.94 |
| 14 | SMOC | $28,633 | $13.77 |
| 15 | FHI 360 | $28,619 | $13.76 |
| 16 | SDST Spartans | $28,579 | $13.74 |
| 17 | Chautauqua Institution | $28,373 | $13.64 |
| 18 | Howard County Government | $28,221 | $13.57 |
| 19 | Port of Long Beach | $28,055 | $13.49 |
| 20 | West Coast Limousine | $28,012 | $13.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lifeguard/Swim Instructor salary by industry
The average lifeguard/swim instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average lifeguard/swim instructor salary in the education industry is $29,576, the highest of any industry.
- The average lifeguard/swim instructor salary in the finance industry is $27,254.
- Lifeguard/swim instructors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $24,558, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lifeguard/swim instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $29,576 | $14.22 |
| 2 | Government | $27,254 | $13.10 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $27,159 | $13.06 |
| 4 | Health Care | $25,337 | $12.18 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $24,558 | $11.81 |
High paying lifeguard/swim instructor jobs
Lifeguard/swim instructor salary trends
The average lifeguard/swim instructor salary has risen by $6,786 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lifeguard/swim instructor earned $20,957 annually, but today, they earn $27,743 a year. That works out to a 23% change in pay for lifeguard/swim instructors over the last decade.
Compare lifeguard/swim instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lifeguard/swim instructor salary over time
Compare lifeguard/swim instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lifeguard/swim instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,700 | $13.34 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $26,000 | $12.49 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $24,800 | $11.95 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $23,600 | $11.35 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | $22,500 | $10.82 | +3.9% |
Recently added lifeguard/swim instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of O'Fallon, Mo | Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | OFallon, MO | 06/28/2025 | $30,992 |
| YMCA | Lifeguards and Swim Instructors | Chicago, IL | 06/25/2025 | $34,102 |
| YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago | Lifeguards and Swim Instructors | Chicago, IL | 06/25/2025 | $34,102 |
| ESF Summer Camps | Camp Lifeguard-Swim Instructor at The Academy of The Holy Cross | Kensington, MD | 06/22/2025 | $32,349 |
| The College of New Jersey | Athletic Lifeguards | Downe, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $33,392 |
| Chesapeake | Swim Instructors & Lifeguards | Chesapeake, VA | 06/20/2025 | $27,131 |
| City of Gainesville | Pool Staff-Lifeguards and Swim Instructors | Gainesville, FL | 06/16/2025 | $31,305 |
| Jewish Community Center | Weekend Swim Club Lifeguards | Cherry Hill, NJ | 06/16/2025 | $34,436 |
| Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. | Lead Lifeguard/Swim Instructor-Recreation Center | Morenci, AZ | 06/14/2025 | $36,627 |
| City of St. Petersburg, Fl | Irc64015 Lifeguard Instructor (Summer/Seasonal) | Saint Petersburg, FL | 06/12/2025 | $38,923 |
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