Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Swim instructor salary
Average swim instructor salary
$12.41
Understanding Swim Instructor Salaries
The average salary for a swim instructor in the United States is approximately $25,815 per year, or about $12 per hour. However, salaries can vary based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, swim instructors in California and Florida tend to earn higher wages compared to those in other states.
Salary by State
In states with a strong demand for swimming education, such as New York and Texas, instructors may find opportunities that offer competitive pay. Additionally, swim instructors who work in private swim schools or fitness centers often receive higher compensation than those in public recreational facilities.
Job Opportunities
Many swim instructors also benefit from flexible schedules, allowing them to teach lessons during evenings and weekends. As a swim instructor, you'll not only teach vital swimming skills but also promote safety and confidence in the water. Check job listings on Zippia to find swim instructor positions that match your qualifications and interests.
Let Zippia find your next swim instructor job
Let Zippia find your next swim instructor job
Where can a Swim Instructor earn more?
Swim instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average swim instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for swim instructors are Maine, Massachusetts, and Washington. The lowest average swim instructor salary states are Tennessee, Texas, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for swim instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $33,819 | $16.26 |
| 2 | New York | $33,214 | $15.97 |
| 3 | Vermont | $33,466 | $16.09 |
| 4 | Oregon | $29,656 | $14.26 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $31,040 | $14.92 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $35,076 | $16.86 |
| 7 | Maine | $35,889 | $17.25 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $29,917 | $14.38 |
| 9 | Washington | $33,982 | $16.34 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $32,514 | $15.63 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $32,626 | $15.69 |
| 12 | Colorado | $26,200 | $12.60 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $29,047 | $13.96 |
| 14 | Maryland | $28,871 | $13.88 |
| 15 | Michigan | $25,041 | $12.04 |
| 16 | Idaho | $29,628 | $14.24 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $24,065 | $11.57 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $26,497 | $12.74 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $25,774 | $12.39 |
| 20 | Nevada | $24,694 | $11.87 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $26,746 | $12.86 |
| 22 | Delaware | $25,291 | $12.16 |
| 23 | Georgia | $24,179 | $11.62 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $24,916 | $11.98 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $25,037 | $12.04 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $24,248 | $11.66 |
| 27 | Arizona | $24,599 | $11.83 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $26,460 | $12.72 |
| 29 | Virginia | $24,122 | $11.60 |
| 30 | Florida | $24,142 | $11.61 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $22,423 | $10.78 |
| 32 | Utah | $23,677 | $11.38 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $23,004 | $11.06 |
| 34 | Montana | $22,970 | $11.04 |
| 35 | Alaska | $23,624 | $11.36 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $22,149 | $10.65 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $22,872 | $11.00 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $23,628 | $11.36 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $23,309 | $11.21 |
| 40 | Illinois | $23,622 | $11.36 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $22,391 | $10.76 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $25,162 | $12.10 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $21,573 | $10.37 |
| 44 | Texas | $20,976 | $10.08 |
| 45 | Missouri | $22,789 | $10.96 |
| 46 | Alabama | $21,884 | $10.52 |
| 47 | Kansas | $21,928 | $10.54 |
| 48 | Iowa | $19,876 | $9.56 |
| 49 | Ohio | $19,449 | $9.35 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $19,992 | $9.61 |
| 51 | Indiana | $18,299 | $8.80 |
Highest paying cities for swim instructors
The highest-paying cities for swim instructors are Boston, MA, South San Francisco, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $35,200 | $16.92 |
| 2 | South San Francisco, CA | $35,029 | $16.84 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $34,119 | $16.40 |
| 4 | Rochester, NY | $33,614 | $16.16 |
| 5 | Dover, NH | $32,658 | $15.70 |
| 6 | Towson, MD | $29,071 | $13.98 |
| 7 | Saint Paul, MN | $26,715 | $12.84 |
| 8 | Loveland, CO | $26,196 | $12.59 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $25,101 | $12.07 |
| 10 | Sun Prairie, WI | $24,882 | $11.96 |
| 11 | Canton, GA | $24,217 | $11.64 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $24,152 | $11.61 |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $24,046 | $11.56 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $23,715 | $11.40 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $22,324 | $10.73 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $21,951 | $10.55 |
| 17 | Cleveland, TN | $21,511 | $10.34 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $21,040 | $10.12 |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $19,973 | $9.60 |
| 20 | Davenport, IA | $19,910 | $9.57 |
Swim Instructors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Swim instructor salary details
A swim instructor's salary ranges from $18,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a swim instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| Average | $25,815 | $2,151 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
| 10th Percentile | $18,000 | $1,500 | $9 |
Highest paying swim instructor jobs
The highest paying types of swim instructors are instructor, head swim coach, and aquatics specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Lifeguard | $29,909 | $2,492 | $14.38 | 3,316 |
| Swim Coach | $33,923 | $2,827 | $16.31 | 15,871 |
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | $27,743 | $2,312 | $13.34 | 27,819 |
| Instructor | $53,426 | $4,452 | $25.69 | 39,273 |
Top companies hiring swim instructors now:
Which companies pay swim instructors the most?
Swim instructor salaries at Massachusetts General Hospital and Robbinsdale Area Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average swim instructor salary at companies like PSEA and Hyatt Hotels are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $45,286 | $21.77 |
| 2 | Robbinsdale Area Schools | $33,615 | $16.16 |
| 3 | PSEA | $33,230 | $15.98 |
| 4 | Hyatt Hotels | $32,290 | $15.52 |
| 5 | Cuesta College | $32,080 | $15.42 |
| 6 | Esf, Inc. | $32,073 | $15.42 |
| 7 | Trustmark Insurance Co | $31,951 | $15.36 |
| 8 | Health First | $30,491 | $14.66 |
| 9 | West Tennessee Healthcare | $30,431 | $14.63 |
| 10 | Jewish Senior Life | $30,392 | $14.61 |
| 11 | Swedish Hospital | $30,368 | $14.60 |
| 12 | University of Pennsylvania | $30,326 | $14.58 |
| 13 | City of Georgetown | $30,285 | $14.56 |
| 14 | Active Wellness | $29,876 | $14.36 |
| 15 | Dwight School | $29,852 | $14.35 |
| 16 | TriHealth | $29,639 | $14.25 |
| 17 | Main Street Wooster | $29,435 | $14.15 |
| 18 | Hamilton Health Care System | $29,388 | $14.13 |
| 19 | CHRISTUS Health | $29,318 | $14.10 |
| 20 | Vidant Health | $29,123 | $14.00 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Swim Instructor salary by industry
The average swim instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average swim instructor salary in the education industry is $28,059, the highest of any industry.
- The average swim instructor salary in the finance industry is $25,890.
- Swim instructors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $23,864, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for swim instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $28,059 | $13.49 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $25,890 | $12.45 |
| 3 | Government | $25,693 | $12.35 |
| 4 | Health Care | $25,016 | $12.03 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $23,864 | $11.47 |
High paying swim instructor jobs
Swim instructor salary trends
The average swim instructor salary has risen by $6,314 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average swim instructor earned $19,501 annually, but today, they earn $25,815 a year. That works out to a 23% change in pay for swim instructors over the last decade.
Compare swim instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average swim instructor salary over time
Compare swim instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Swim instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,800 | $12.41 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $24,200 | $11.62 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $23,100 | $11.12 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $22,000 | $10.56 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | $20,900 | $10.06 | +3.9% |
Recently added swim instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treasure Valley Family YMCA | Swim Instructor | Boise, ID | 06/30/2025 | $28,905 |
| West Suburban Ymca | Swim Instructor | Newton, MA | 06/29/2025 | $32,349 |
| British Swim School | Swim Instructor | Beaverton, OR | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| British Swim School | Swim Instructor Carol Stream | Carol Stream, IL | 06/28/2025 | $29,218 |
| In Shape Solutions LLC | Swim Instructor | Modesto, CA | 06/28/2025 | $38,610 |
| Emler Swim School | Swim Instructor | North Kansas City, MO | 06/28/2025 | $29,218 |
| Life Time Fitness | Aquatics Swim Instructor | Mount Laurel, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $34,436 |
| Aquafin Swim School | Swim Instructor | Jacksonville, FL | 06/28/2025 | $29,218 |
| Arcis Golf As | Swim Instructor | Parker, CO | 06/27/2025 | $30,908 |
| Superior | Swim Instructor | Superior, CO | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
Swim instructor salary FAQs
Search for swim instructor jobs