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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.
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.
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.
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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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.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $35,519 | $17.08 |
| 2 | California | $33,115 | $15.92 |
| 3 | Vermont | $32,982 | $15.86 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $35,263 | $16.95 |
| 5 | Michigan | $29,089 | $13.99 |
| 6 | Colorado | $28,460 | $13.68 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $29,768 | $14.31 |
| 8 | Maine | $35,245 | $16.94 |
| 9 | Washington | $33,953 | $16.32 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $32,066 | $15.42 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $32,282 | $15.52 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $25,648 | $12.33 |
| 13 | Idaho | $29,536 | $14.20 |
| 14 | Nevada | $24,458 | $11.76 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $28,585 | $13.74 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $26,351 | $12.67 |
| 17 | Oregon | $25,743 | $12.38 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $23,940 | $11.51 |
| 19 | Delaware | $25,149 | $12.09 |
| 20 | Arizona | $25,074 | $12.05 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $25,061 | $12.05 |
| 22 | Georgia | $23,756 | $11.42 |
| 23 | Maryland | $25,455 | $12.24 |
| 24 | Virginia | $24,933 | $11.99 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $23,334 | $11.22 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $24,470 | $11.76 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $24,796 | $11.92 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $26,649 | $12.81 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $24,100 | $11.59 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $24,827 | $11.94 |
| 31 | Florida | $24,147 | $11.61 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $22,852 | $10.99 |
| 33 | Montana | $22,909 | $11.01 |
| 34 | Alaska | $23,394 | $11.25 |
| 35 | Utah | $23,614 | $11.35 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $22,327 | $10.73 |
| 37 | Illinois | $23,608 | $11.35 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $22,844 | $10.98 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $23,524 | $11.31 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $22,226 | $10.69 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $23,194 | $11.15 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $24,994 | $12.02 |
| 43 | Alabama | $21,814 | $10.49 |
| 44 | Kansas | $22,176 | $10.66 |
| 45 | Texas | $21,153 | $10.17 |
| 46 | Missouri | $22,615 | $10.87 |
| 47 | Iowa | $20,203 | $9.71 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $21,417 | $10.30 |
| 49 | Ohio | $19,401 | $9.33 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $19,880 | $9.56 |
| 51 | Indiana | $18,219 | $8.76 |
The highest-paying cities for swim lesson instructors are Boston, MA, Berkeley, CA, and Bothell, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $35,371 | $17.01 |
| 2 | Berkeley, CA | $34,125 | $16.41 |
| 3 | Bothell, WA | $34,014 | $16.35 |
| 4 | Enfield, CT | $32,690 | $15.72 |
| 5 | Parker, CO | $28,440 | $13.67 |
| 6 | De Pere, WI | $25,878 | $12.44 |
| 7 | Albany, OR | $25,861 | $12.43 |
| 8 | Wilmington, DE | $25,318 | $12.17 |
| 9 | Eden Prairie, MN | $24,655 | $11.85 |
| 10 | Fargo, ND | $24,610 | $11.83 |
| 11 | Arlington Heights, IL | $23,704 | $11.40 |
| 12 | American Fork, UT | $23,562 | $11.33 |
| 13 | Charleston, SC | $23,327 | $11.21 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $23,211 | $11.16 |
| 15 | Sioux Falls, SD | $22,800 | $10.96 |
| 16 | Kansas City, MO | $22,697 | $10.91 |
| 17 | Kansas City, KS | $22,202 | $10.67 |
| 18 | Iowa City, IA | $20,207 | $9.71 |
| 19 | Cincinnati, OH | $18,808 | $9.04 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $18,132 | $8.72 |
A swim lesson instructor's salary ranges from $18,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly 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 |
The highest paying types of swim lesson instructors are instructor, aquatics specialist, and assistant swim coach.
| 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 |
| Instructor | $53,426 | $4,452 | $25.69 | 39,273 |
| Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | $27,743 | $2,312 | $13.34 | 27,819 |
| Swim Instructor | $25,815 | $2,151 | $12.41 | 24,849 |
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
Top companies hiring swim lesson instructors now:
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.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $46,859 | $22.53 |
| 2 | Family Wellness L L C | $30,920 | $14.87 |
| 3 | Brenau University | $30,801 | $14.81 |
| 4 | Augusta Health | $29,798 | $14.33 |
| 5 | University of Iowa Center for Advancement | $27,862 | $13.40 |
| 6 | Sanford Health | $27,563 | $13.25 |
| 7 | Johnston Memorial Hospital Corporation | $27,496 | $13.22 |
| 8 | West Coast Limousine | $27,283 | $13.12 |
| 9 | Goldfish Swim School | $26,797 | $12.88 |
| 10 | WTS International | $26,754 | $12.86 |
| 11 | Vacasa | $26,672 | $12.82 |
| 12 | Village of Lincolnwood | $26,651 | $12.81 |
| 13 | YMCA | $26,638 | $12.81 |
| 14 | Drake University | $26,609 | $12.79 |
| 15 | City of Mesa | $25,967 | $12.48 |
| 16 | YMCA of Greater Indianapolis | $25,738 | $12.37 |
| 17 | Hoffman Estates | $25,634 | $12.32 |
| 18 | Club | $24,949 | $11.99 |
| 19 | Great Parks of Hamilton County | $24,884 | $11.96 |
| 20 | City of Eden Prairie | $24,874 | $11.96 |
The average swim lesson instructor salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $26,782 | $12.88 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $25,896 | $12.45 |
| 3 | Government | $25,324 | $12.18 |
| 4 | Health Care | $24,755 | $11.90 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $23,637 | $11.36 |
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.
Compare swim lesson instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly 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% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County Family Ymca | Adaptive Swim Lesson Instructor (Group+Private) | Kane, PA | 06/29/2025 | $27,131 |
| Bcfymca | Adaptive Swim Lesson Instructor (Group+Private) | Kane, PA | 06/26/2025 | $27,131 |
| YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg | Private or Group Swim Lesson Instructor, JIM & Heather Gills Branch Ymca | Saint Petersburg, FL | 06/24/2025 | $31,305 |
| Atlanta Swim Academy | Aquatics-Group Swim Lessons-Instructors Needed | Marietta, GA | 06/24/2025 | $31,305 |
| YMCA Kansas City | Swim Lesson Instructor | Kansas City, MO | 06/13/2025 | $31,305 |
| YMCA of Greater Dayton | Specialty Swim Instructor-Private Lessons | Xenia, OH | 06/10/2025 | $22,331 |
| Kansascityymca | Swim Lesson Instructor | Olathe, KS | 06/10/2025 | $31,305 |
| Kansascityymca | Swim Lesson Instructor | Kansas City, MO | 06/10/2025 | $31,305 |
| YMCA of Northwest North Carolina | Swim Lesson Instructor | Winston-Salem, NC | 06/05/2025 | $25,044 |
| City of Phoenix (Az | Lifeguard, Shallow Water Guard, and Swim Lesson Instructor-Aquatics 2025 Season: Make | Phoenix, AZ | 06/04/2025 | $36,982 |
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