How much does a lifeguard make?
a year · about $16 an hour
A typical lifeguard in the United States makes $33,580 a year, about $16 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
At a pool, lifeguards scan their assigned swim area, remind guests of safety rules, and check water quality and conditions. If someone is in trouble, they make a rescue and give first aid or CPR.
Did you know? A person who is drowning may be unable to call for help, so lifeguards watch for quiet signs—not just splashing.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $25,780 and $43,970How do you become one?
U.S. lifeguards usually need no formal school credential but must swim well; Red Cross students must be 15 or older and pass a swim test. They train in water rescue, CPR/AED, and first aid, then pass skills and written tests for certification.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experience, useful certificates, and extra responsibility can affect a lifeguard’s pay. Employers and locations differ, and seasonal work or fewer hours can change how much someone earns over a year.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Hawaii ($52,630), lowest in Louisiana ($22,240).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,780 | $33,580 | $43,970 | about 158,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $52,630 | about 720 |
| California | $42,720 | about 23,000 |
| Washington | $37,770 | about 5,000 |
| Massachusetts | $36,650 | about 3,000 |
| New York | $36,590 | about 9,000 |
Official definition: Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/recreational-protective-service-workers.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-9092.00
- www.redcross.org/take-a-class/lifeguarding/lifeguard-training
- www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/training-services/no-index/LG_PM_digital.p
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY