Swim lesson instructor vs certified lifeguard

The differences between swim lesson instructors and certified lifeguards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified lifeguard has an average salary of $28,264, 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 certified lifeguard are first-aid, water safety, and in-service training.

Swim lesson instructor vs certified lifeguard overview

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Certified Lifeguard
Yearly salary	$25,697	$28,264
Hourly rate	$12.35	$13.59
Growth rate	20%	-
Number of jobs	24,835	36,332
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	26	26
Years of experience	-	-

Swim lesson instructor vs certified lifeguard salary

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

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Certified Lifeguard
Average salary	$25,697	$28,264
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $35,000	Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	-
Highest paying state	New York	-
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between swim lesson instructor and certified lifeguard education

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

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Certified Lifeguard
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Music	Business
Most common college	-	-

Swim lesson instructor vs certified lifeguard demographics

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

	Swim Lesson Instructor	Certified Lifeguard
Average age	26	26
Gender ratio	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%	Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3%
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, 5.8% Unknown, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between swim lesson instructor and certified 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.

Certified lifeguard example responsibilities.

Acquire skills in CPR, safety regulations, leadership and responsibility
Work as a beach patrol lifeguard for several summers (2007 and 2008) amounting to 6 months.
Perform rescues and administer first-aid in emergency situations.
Provide first responder first aid when necessary.
Implement basic first aid and first responder procedures.
Coordinate swim meets and ensure that they run smoothly.

Swim lesson instructor vs certified lifeguard skills

Common swim lesson instructor skills

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

Common certified lifeguard skills

First-Aid, 39%
Water Safety, 17%
In-Service Training, 7%
Rescue Techniques, 7%
Professional Attitude, 3%
Emergency Situations, 2%

Swim Lesson Instructor vs. similar jobs

Swim Lesson Instructor related careers

Swim Lesson Instructor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Protective Service Industry
Swim Lesson Instructor
Swim Lesson Instructor vs Certified Lifeguard

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse protective service jobs