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Swim lesson instructor salary

Quoted expert
Dr. Karla Huebner Ph.D.

Average swim lesson instructor salary

$12.35

$25,697 yearly

Entry-level swim lesson instructor salary
$18,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Swim Lesson Instructor Salary

The average salary for a Swim Lesson Instructor is $25,697 annually, which breaks down to approximately $12 per hour. This figure reflects the national average and can vary depending on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the employing institution.

Salary by State

In some states, instructors earn significantly more. For instance, instructors in states like California and New York often see salaries exceeding the national average due to higher living costs and demand for swim instruction.

High-Paying Opportunities

In addition to state variations, specific cities boast higher average salaries for Swim Lesson Instructors. For example, urban centers with robust recreational programs typically offer better compensation. Additionally, positions at private swim schools or high-end resorts can yield higher pay due to their specialized services.

Conclusion

Overall, pursuing a career as a Swim Lesson Instructor not only offers a competitive salary but also provides opportunities for personal fulfillment through teaching essential water safety skills.

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Where can a Swim Lesson Instructor earn more?

Compare salary by location
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48k
28k
8k
-12k
Columbus, OH$35,371
Indianapolis, IN$18,132
Compare salary by company
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75k
55k
35k
15k
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University of California-Berkeley$46,859
City of Eden Prairie$24,874

Average swim lesson instructor salary by state

The average swim lesson instructor salary in New York, Massachusetts, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average swim lesson instructor salary states are Tennessee, Texas, and Iowa.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for swim lesson instructors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York$35,519$17.08
2California$33,115$15.92
3Vermont$32,982$15.86
4Massachusetts$35,263$16.95
5Michigan$29,089$13.99
6Colorado$28,460$13.68
7New Jersey$29,768$14.31
8Maine$35,245$16.94
9Washington$33,953$16.32
10New Hampshire$32,066$15.42
11Connecticut$32,282$15.52
12Kentucky$25,648$12.33
13Idaho$29,536$14.20
14Nevada$24,458$11.76
15Rhode Island$28,585$13.74
16West Virginia$26,351$12.67
17Oregon$25,743$12.38
18Wyoming$23,940$11.51
19Delaware$25,149$12.09
20Arizona$25,074$12.05
21Wisconsin$25,061$12.05
22Georgia$23,756$11.42
23Maryland$25,455$12.24
24Virginia$24,933$11.99
25South Carolina$23,334$11.22
26North Dakota$24,470$11.76
27Minnesota$24,796$11.92
28Hawaii$26,649$12.81
29New Mexico$24,100$11.59
30Pennsylvania$24,827$11.94
31Florida$24,147$11.61
32Mississippi$22,852$10.99
33Montana$22,909$11.01
34Alaska$23,394$11.25
35Utah$23,614$11.35
36North Carolina$22,327$10.73
37Illinois$23,608$11.35
38South Dakota$22,844$10.98
39Arkansas$23,524$11.31
40Louisiana$22,226$10.69
41Nebraska$23,194$11.15
42District of Columbia$24,994$12.02
43Alabama$21,814$10.49
44Kansas$22,176$10.66
45Texas$21,153$10.17
46Missouri$22,615$10.87
47Iowa$20,203$9.71
48Tennessee$21,417$10.30
49Ohio$19,401$9.33
50Oklahoma$19,880$9.56
51Indiana$18,219$8.76

Highest paying cities for swim lesson instructors

The highest-paying cities for swim lesson instructors are Boston, MA, Berkeley, CA, and Bothell, WA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Boston, MA$35,371$17.01
2Berkeley, CA$34,125$16.41
3Bothell, WA$34,014$16.35
4Enfield, CT$32,690$15.72
5Parker, CO$28,440$13.67
6De Pere, WI$25,878$12.44
7Albany, OR$25,861$12.43
8Wilmington, DE$25,318$12.17
9Eden Prairie, MN$24,655$11.85
10Fargo, ND$24,610$11.83
11Arlington Heights, IL$23,704$11.40
12American Fork, UT$23,562$11.33
13Charleston, SC$23,327$11.21
14Omaha, NE$23,211$11.16
15Sioux Falls, SD$22,800$10.96
16Kansas City, MO$22,697$10.91
17Kansas City, KS$22,202$10.67
18Iowa City, IA$20,207$9.71
19Cincinnati, OH$18,808$9.04
20Indianapolis, IN$18,132$8.72

Swim lesson instructor salary details

A swim lesson instructor's salary ranges from $18,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average swim lesson instructor salary graph
Average swim lesson instructor salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a swim lesson instructor's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$35,000$2,917$17
75th Percentile$30,000$2,500$14
Average$25,697$2,141$12
25th Percentile$21,000$1,750$10
10th Percentile$18,000$1,500$9

Highest paying swim lesson instructor jobs

The highest paying types of swim lesson instructors are instructor, aquatics specialist, and assistant swim coach.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Ocean Lifeguard$29,909$2,492$14.383,316
Swim Coach$33,923$2,827$16.3115,871
Instructor$53,426$4,452$25.6939,273
Lifeguard/Swim Instructor$27,743$2,312$13.3427,819
Swim Instructor$25,815$2,151$12.4124,849

How would you rate the starting salaries for swim lesson instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Dr. Karla Huebner Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Wright State University

Salaries are generally low, but now and then, artists and art historians can make good incomes--don't expect to.

Top companies hiring swim lesson instructors now:

  1. Hartwick College jobs (3)
  2. Swimtastic Swim School jobs (6)
  3. Guitar Center jobs (4)
  4. Schaumburg Parks jobs (5)
  5. City of Sioux City jobs (4)

Which companies pay swim lesson instructors the most?

Swim lesson instructor salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Family Wellness L L C are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average swim lesson instructor salary at companies like Brenau University and Augusta Health are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1University of California-Berkeley$46,859$22.53
2Family Wellness L L C$30,920$14.87
3Brenau University$30,801$14.81
4Augusta Health$29,798$14.33
5University of Iowa Center for Advancement$27,862$13.40
6Sanford Health$27,563$13.25
7Johnston Memorial Hospital Corporation$27,496$13.22
8West Coast Limousine$27,283$13.12
9Goldfish Swim School$26,797$12.88
10WTS International$26,754$12.86
11Vacasa$26,672$12.82
12Village of Lincolnwood$26,651$12.81
13YMCA$26,638$12.81
14Drake University$26,609$12.79
15City of Mesa$25,967$12.48
16YMCA of Greater Indianapolis$25,738$12.37
17Hoffman Estates$25,634$12.32
18Club$24,949$11.99
19Great Parks of Hamilton County$24,884$11.96
20City of Eden Prairie$24,874$11.96

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$26,000$25,800$25,600$25,400$25,200$25,000
MaleFemale

Swim Lesson Instructor salary by industry

The average swim lesson instructor salary varies across industries:

  • The average swim lesson instructor salary in the education industry is $26,782, the highest of any industry.
  • The average swim lesson instructor salary in the finance industry is $25,896.
  • Swim lesson instructors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $23,637, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for swim lesson instructors

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Education$26,782$12.88
2Hospitality$25,896$12.45
3Government$25,324$12.18
4Health Care$24,755$11.90
5Non Profits$23,637$11.36

High paying swim lesson instructor jobs

Swim lesson instructor salary trends

The average swim lesson instructor salary has risen by $6,286 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average swim lesson instructor earned $19,411 annually, but today, they earn $25,697 a year. That works out to a 23% change in pay for swim lesson instructors over the last decade.

Compare swim lesson instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average swim lesson instructor salary over time

Compare swim lesson instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Swim lesson instructor salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$25,700$12.35+6.4%
2024$24,100$11.56+4.3%
2023$23,000$11.07+5.0%
2022$21,900$10.51+4.7%
2021$20,800$10.02+3.9%

Recently added swim lesson instructor salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Butler County Family YmcaAdaptive Swim Lesson Instructor (Group+Private)Kane, PA06/29/2025$27,131
BcfymcaAdaptive Swim Lesson Instructor (Group+Private)Kane, PA06/26/2025$27,131
YMCA of Greater St. PetersburgPrivate or Group Swim Lesson Instructor, JIM & Heather Gills Branch YmcaSaint Petersburg, FL06/24/2025$31,305
Atlanta Swim AcademyAquatics-Group Swim Lessons-Instructors NeededMarietta, GA06/24/2025$31,305
YMCA Kansas CitySwim Lesson InstructorKansas City, MO06/13/2025$31,305
YMCA of Greater DaytonSpecialty Swim Instructor-Private LessonsXenia, OH06/10/2025$22,331
KansascityymcaSwim Lesson InstructorOlathe, KS06/10/2025$31,305
KansascityymcaSwim Lesson InstructorKansas City, MO06/10/2025$31,305
YMCA of Northwest North CarolinaSwim Lesson InstructorWinston-Salem, NC06/05/2025$25,044
City of Phoenix (AzLifeguard, Shallow Water Guard, and Swim Lesson Instructor-Aquatics 2025 Season: MakePhoenix, AZ06/04/2025$36,982

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