Rescue boat operator vs water safety instructor

The differences between rescue boat operators and water safety instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a rescue boat operator has an average salary of $44,204, which is higher than the $27,408 average annual salary of a water safety instructor.

The top three skills for a rescue boat operator include EMT, and . The most important skills for a water safety instructor are learn-to-swim, aquatic facility, and head lifeguard.

Rescue boat operator vs water safety instructor overview

	Rescue Boat Operator	Water Safety Instructor
Yearly salary	$44,204	$27,408
Hourly rate	$21.25	$13.18
Growth rate	1%	19%
Number of jobs	25,967	44,102
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	26	26
Years of experience	-	-

Rescue boat operator vs water safety instructor salary

Rescue boat operators and water safety instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rescue Boat Operator	Water Safety Instructor
Average salary	$44,204	$27,408
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $85,000	Between $21,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	-	Utica, NY
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Pace University
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between rescue boat operator and water safety instructor education

There are a few differences between a rescue boat operator and a water safety instructor in terms of educational background:

	Rescue Boat Operator	Water Safety Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	-	-

Rescue boat operator vs water safety instructor demographics

Here are the differences between rescue boat operators' and water safety instructors' demographics:

	Rescue Boat Operator	Water Safety Instructor
Average age	26	26
Gender ratio	Male, 97.7% Female, 2.3%	Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 3.8% White, 74.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.3% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between rescue boat operator and water safety instructor duties and responsibilities

Rescue boat operator example responsibilities.

Obtain USAR technician level certifications and pump operator certifications.Skills UsedSupervisory skills, prehospital skills, FTO and preceptor skills.
Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injure persons.

Water safety instructor example responsibilities.

Examine injure persons and administer first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary.
Work on-site to cover HUD and OSHA inspector protocol, EPA regulations, and OSHA policies, practice and procedures.
Substitute for yoga and water aerobics as needed
Assist and maintain associated paperwork and documentation to ensure OSHA compliance.
Maintain general appearance and cleanliness of assign area and perform general housekeeping of assign area; maintain water safety equipment.

Rescue boat operator vs water safety instructor skills

Common rescue boat operator skills

EMT, 100%

Common water safety instructor skills

Learn-To-Swim, 13%
Aquatic Facility, 11%
Head Lifeguard, 11%
In-Service Training, 7%
Safety Regulations, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Rescue Boat Operator
Rescue Boat Operator vs Water Safety Instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

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