Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $34,470 ≈ $17/hr
National median salary $33,580
Total employment 157,550 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +5.8%
Faster than average
Annual openings 42,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 149,700 → 158,400 (+8,700)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$58,460
- Hawaii$55,150
- California$44,380
- Washington$39,940
- Montana$39,910
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$24,230
- Mississippi$25,220
- West Virginia$25,430
- Iowa$25,890
- Oklahoma$26,170
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $58,460 | $60,400 | $28 | +69.6% | 290 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $55,150 | $52,630 | $27 | +60% | 720 |
| 3 | California | $44,380 | $42,720 | $21 | +28.7% | 22,620 |
| 4 | Washington | $39,940 | $37,770 | $19 | +15.9% | 4,720 |
| 5 | Montana | $39,910 | $37,750 | $19 | +15.8% | 270 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $37,930 | $36,650 | $18 | +10% | 2,640 |
| 7 | New York | $37,800 | $36,590 | $18 | +9.7% | 8,740 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $37,050 | $35,960 | $18 | +7.5% | 1,510 |
| 9 | Colorado | $36,900 | $35,640 | $18 | +7% | 5,430 |
| 10 | Vermont | $36,720 | $36,030 | $18 | +6.5% | 310 |
| 11 | Maine | $36,510 | $34,320 | $18 | +5.9% | 340 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $36,280 | $34,760 | $17 | +5.3% | 5,460 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $36,150 | $35,770 | $17 | +4.9% | 370 |
| 14 | Oregon | $35,640 | $35,030 | $17 | +3.4% | 1,860 |
| 15 | Florida | $35,510 | $35,040 | $17 | +3% | 9,460 |
| 16 | Arizona | $35,010 | $35,380 | $17 | +1.6% | 3,950 |
| 17 | Maryland | $34,970 | $34,520 | $17 | +1.5% | 4,160 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $34,850 | $32,100 | $17 | +1.1% | 280 |
| 19 | Alaska | $34,390 | $34,540 | $17 | -0.2% | 340 |
| 20 | Illinois | $34,230 | $33,710 | $16 | -0.7% | 5,880 |
| 21 | Michigan | $33,670 | $29,760 | $16 | -2.3% | 3,770 |
| 22 | Delaware | $32,570 | $31,930 | $16 | -5.5% | 360 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $32,330 | $31,870 | $16 | -6.2% | 2,130 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $31,780 | $29,030 | $15 | -7.8% | 500 |
| 25 | Virginia | $31,700 | $30,070 | $15 | -8% | 8,920 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $31,510 | $28,590 | $15 | -8.6% | 760 |
| 27 | Nevada | $31,440 | $30,830 | $15 | -8.8% | 2,630 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $31,370 | $30,990 | $15 | -9% | 490 |
| 29 | Utah | $30,990 | $28,720 | $15 | -10.1% | 2,550 |
| 30 | Georgia | $30,840 | $30,880 | $15 | -10.5% | 2,840 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $30,680 | $29,100 | $15 | -11% | 1,250 |
| 32 | Missouri | $30,500 | $29,260 | $15 | -11.5% | 3,100 |
| 33 | Texas | $30,380 | $29,450 | $15 | -11.9% | 11,320 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $30,020 | $29,480 | $14 | -12.9% | 5,450 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $29,710 | $28,570 | $14 | -13.8% | 3,350 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $29,100 | $27,310 | $14 | -15.6% | 4,850 |
| 37 | Ohio | $28,820 | $27,770 | $14 | -16.4% | 6,450 |
| 38 | Indiana | $28,590 | $28,640 | $14 | -17.1% | 3,290 |
| 39 | Idaho | $28,450 | $28,770 | $14 | -17.5% | 750 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $28,400 | $28,200 | $14 | -17.6% | 2,330 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $28,090 | $28,430 | $14 | -18.5% | 580 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $27,780 | $27,000 | $13 | -19.4% | 530 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $27,610 | $28,520 | $13 | -19.9% | 1,820 |
| 44 | Alabama | $27,390 | $28,130 | $13 | -20.5% | 1,080 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $27,170 | $26,210 | $13 | -21.2% | 1,900 |
| 46 | Kansas | $27,000 | $27,220 | $13 | -21.7% | 1,750 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $26,170 | $25,250 | $13 | -24.1% | 650 |
| 48 | Iowa | $25,890 | $25,460 | $12 | -24.9% | 1,410 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $25,430 | $24,670 | $12 | -26.2% | 450 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $25,220 | $24,440 | $12 | -26.8% | 330 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $24,230 | $22,240 | $12 | -29.7% | 660 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 372 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $64,030 | $60,740 | 110 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $49,730 | $51,540 | — |
| 3 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $48,150 | $44,910 | 150 |
| 4 | Bozeman, MT | $44,610 | $50,890 | 100 |
| 5 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $44,100 | $42,710 | 160 |
| 6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,800 | $46,780 | 11,640 |
| 7 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $43,260 | $38,620 | 1,800 |
| 8 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $43,100 | $43,150 | 670 |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $43,050 | $45,230 | 2,480 |
| 10 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,460 | $43,270 | 1,020 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sectors 44 and 45 - Retail Trade | $45,930 | $44,870 | — |
| 2 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $44,280 | $47,360 | 2,630 |
| 3 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $44,280 | $44,590 | 3,480 |
| 4 | Personal and Laundry Services | $43,700 | $41,690 | — |
| 5 | Personal Care Services | $43,700 | $41,770 | — |
| 6 | Hospitals, State Government Owned | $36,570 | $37,050 | 30 |
| 7 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, State Government Owned | $36,570 | $36,550 | 30 |
| 8 | Other Schools and Instruction, Privately Owned | $36,450 | $37,800 | 2,880 |
| 9 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $36,360 | $36,550 | — |
| 10 | Spectator Sports | $36,360 | $36,700 | — |
| 11 | Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $36,220 | $36,190 | 90 |
| 12 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $36,220 | $36,190 | 90 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make in the U.S.?
The median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in the United States is $33,580 per year (mean $34,470), and about 80% earn between $25,780 and $43,970.
How much do lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make per hour?
Roughly $17 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $34,470 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers at $58,460 per year (median $60,400).
What is the job outlook for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Employment is projected to change +5.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 42,700 openings per year.