Swim lesson instructor vs beach lifeguard

The differences between swim lesson instructors and beach lifeguards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a beach lifeguard has an average salary of $29,050, which is higher than the $25,697 average annual salary of a swim lesson instructor.

The top three skills for a swim lesson instructor include cleanliness, emergency situations and emergency oxygen. The most important skills for a beach lifeguard are CPR, emergency situations, and patrol.

Swim lesson instructor vs beach lifeguard overview

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Beach Lifeguard
Yearly salary	$25,697	$29,050
Hourly rate	$12.35	$13.97
Growth rate	20%	-
Number of jobs	24,835	3,304
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	26	26
Years of experience	-	-

Swim lesson instructor vs beach lifeguard salary

Swim lesson instructors and beach lifeguards have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Beach Lifeguard
Average salary	$25,697	$29,050
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $35,000	Between $23,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Manteca, CA
Highest paying state	New York	California
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Bay Head Yacht Club
Best paying industry	Education	Hospitality

Differences between swim lesson instructor and beach lifeguard education

There are a few differences between a swim lesson instructor and a beach lifeguard in terms of educational background:

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Beach Lifeguard
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Music	Business
Most common college	-	-

Swim lesson instructor vs beach lifeguard demographics

Here are the differences between swim lesson instructors' and beach lifeguards' demographics:

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Beach Lifeguard
Average age	26	26
Gender ratio	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%	Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.4% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between swim lesson instructor and beach lifeguard duties and responsibilities

Swim lesson instructor example responsibilities.

Manage, facilitate and coordinate competitive swimming events using HY-TEK system.
Provide direct leadership, instruction and motivation for students in swimming classes.
Acquire leadership skills while mentoring and encouraging new lifeguards with swim lesson skills and pool upkeep.
Monitor recreational swimming areas and facilities for safety and cleanliness.
Examine injure persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation if necessary.
Cover the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology including cell biology, metabolism, microbiology, genetics, evolution and histology.

Beach lifeguard example responsibilities.

Used ATV's for various beach duties.
Examine injure persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
Examine injured individuals, administer first aid.

Swim lesson instructor vs beach lifeguard skills

Common swim lesson instructor skills

Cleanliness, 24%
Emergency Situations, 16%
Emergency Oxygen, 9%
Flotation, 8%
Lesson Program, 6%
Head Lifeguard, 5%

Common beach lifeguard skills

CPR, 34%
Emergency Situations, 9%
Patrol, 8%
Water Safety, 6%
Lifeguard Training, 6%
Public Safety, 4%

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Swim Lesson Instructor
Swim Lesson Instructor vs Beach Lifeguard

Updated January 8, 2025

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