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The differences between swim instructors and aquatics specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an aquatics specialist has an average salary of $37,000, which is higher than the $25,815 average annual salary of a swim instructor.
The top three skills for a swim instructor include lifeguard, cleanliness and customer service. The most important skills for an aquatics specialist are husbandry, primary resource, and animal welfare.
| Swim Instructor | Aquatics Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $25,815 | $37,000 |
| Hourly rate | $12.41 | $17.79 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 24,849 | 19,982 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 26 | 26 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
As the name entails, swim instructors teach both children and adults how to swim. They help people develop their swimming ability through proper swimming techniques. Their responsibilities include ensuring that all swimming equipment is in good condition, evaluating student performance and providing feedback, and preparing reports on attendance and accidents. They are also responsible for preventing injuries and accidents through monitoring. There are several requirements to become a successful swim instructor that may include previous experience as a swim instructor, certifications on CPR and first aid, and swimming abilities.
The duties of an aquatics specialist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. With their expertise in aquatic environments, an aquatics specialist may work at government agencies, laboratories, learning institutions, and private companies. Typically, their responsibilities include conducting studies and observations, gathering and analyzing data through scientific procedures, coordinating with fellow experts, managing aquatics programs and projects, and developing strategies to resolve issues and concerns. Furthermore, as an aquatics specialist, it is essential to lead the efforts of different projects, all while adhering to the organization's vision and mission.
Swim instructors and aquatics specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Swim Instructor | Aquatics Specialist | |
| Average salary | $25,815 | $37,000 |
| Salary range | Between $18,000 And $35,000 | Between $25,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Maine | - |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a swim instructor and an aquatics specialist in terms of educational background:
| Swim Instructor | Aquatics Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between swim instructors' and aquatics specialists' demographics:
| Swim Instructor | Aquatics Specialist | |
| Average age | 26 | 26 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0% | Male, 53.7% Female, 46.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 4.3% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.4% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |