SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 33-9092.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $25,780 | $2,148 | $496 | $12.40 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $28,880 | $2,407 | $555 | $13.89 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $33,580 | $2,798 | $646 | $16.14 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $37,520 | $3,127 | $722 | $18.04 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $43,970 | $3,664 | $846 | $21.14 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers is $33,580, which is 34% lower. Among the 24 occupations of the field Protective Service, it ranks number 24 by median pay. With 157,550 jobs, it makes up about 10 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($60,400), Hawaii ($52,630) and California ($42,720). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($21,840), Louisiana ($22,240) and Mississippi ($24,440). The most jobs were in California (22,620), Texas (11,320) and Florida (9,460). The occupation is most concentrated in Virginia, where its share of all jobs is 2.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 290 | $60,400 | $58,460 | $29.04 |
| Hawaii | 720 | $52,630 | $55,150 | $25.30 |
| California | 22,620 | $42,720 | $44,380 | $20.54 |
| Washington | 4,720 | $37,770 | $39,940 | $18.16 |
| Montana | 270 | $37,750 | $39,910 | $18.15 |
| Massachusetts | 2,640 | $36,650 | $37,930 | $17.62 |
| New York | 8,740 | $36,590 | $37,800 | $17.59 |
| Vermont | 310 | $36,030 | $36,720 | $17.32 |
| Connecticut | 1,510 | $35,960 | $37,050 | $17.29 |
| Rhode Island | 370 | $35,770 | $36,150 | $17.20 |
| Colorado | 5,430 | $35,640 | $36,900 | $17.13 |
| Arizona | 3,950 | $35,380 | $35,010 | $17.01 |
| Florida | 9,460 | $35,040 | $35,510 | $16.85 |
| Oregon | 1,860 | $35,030 | $35,640 | $16.84 |
| New Jersey | 5,460 | $34,760 | $36,280 | $16.71 |
| Alaska | 340 | $34,540 | $34,390 | $16.61 |
| Maryland | 4,160 | $34,520 | $34,970 | $16.60 |
| Maine | 340 | $34,320 | $36,510 | $16.50 |
| Illinois | 5,880 | $33,710 | $34,230 | $16.21 |
| New Hampshire | 280 | $32,100 | $34,850 | $15.43 |
| Delaware | 360 | $31,930 | $32,570 | $15.35 |
| Minnesota | 2,130 | $31,870 | $32,330 | $15.32 |
| South Dakota | 490 | $30,990 | $31,370 | $14.90 |
| Georgia | 2,840 | $30,880 | $30,840 | $14.85 |
| Nevada | 2,630 | $30,830 | $31,440 | $14.82 |
| Virginia | 8,920 | $30,070 | $31,700 | $14.46 |
| Michigan | 3,770 | $29,760 | $33,670 | $14.31 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,450 | $29,480 | $30,020 | $14.17 |
| Texas | 11,320 | $29,450 | $30,380 | $14.16 |
| Missouri | 3,100 | $29,260 | $30,500 | $14.07 |
| Nebraska | 1,250 | $29,100 | $30,680 | $13.99 |
| Wyoming | 500 | $29,030 | $31,780 | $13.96 |
| Idaho | 750 | $28,770 | $28,450 | $13.83 |
| Utah | 2,550 | $28,720 | $30,990 | $13.81 |
| Indiana | 3,290 | $28,640 | $28,590 | $13.77 |
| New Mexico | 760 | $28,590 | $31,510 | $13.75 |
| Wisconsin | 3,350 | $28,570 | $29,710 | $13.74 |
| Kentucky | 1,820 | $28,520 | $27,610 | $13.71 |
| North Dakota | 580 | $28,430 | $28,090 | $13.67 |
| Tennessee | 2,330 | $28,200 | $28,400 | $13.56 |
| Alabama | 1,080 | $28,130 | $27,390 | $13.52 |
| Ohio | 6,450 | $27,770 | $28,820 | $13.35 |
| North Carolina | 4,850 | $27,310 | $29,100 | $13.13 |
| Kansas | 1,750 | $27,220 | $27,000 | $13.09 |
| Arkansas | 530 | $27,000 | $27,780 | $12.98 |
| South Carolina | 1,900 | $26,210 | $27,170 | $12.60 |
| Iowa | 1,410 | $25,460 | $25,890 | $12.24 |
| Oklahoma | 650 | $25,250 | $26,170 | $12.14 |
| West Virginia | 450 | $24,670 | $25,430 | $11.86 |
| Mississippi | 330 | $24,440 | $25,220 | $11.75 |
| Louisiana | 660 | $22,240 | $24,230 | $10.69 |
| Puerto Rico | 140 | $21,840 | $23,450 | $10.50 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers$38,100 a year
- Security Guards$38,020 a year
- School Bus Monitors$35,100 a year
Common questions
How much do Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $33,580 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $25,780 and the highest-paid 10% more than $43,970.
How many people work as Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers?
About 157,550 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.