Pool Lifeguard

Pool Lifeguard Salary

$19K

$32.5K

$76.5K

$35,774

/year

$17.20

/hour

Pool Lifeguard Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$35,774

Columbus

Ohio

$34,554

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    How much does a Pool Lifeguard make?

    As of Aug 10, 2026, the average annual pay for a Pool Lifeguard in the United States is $35,774 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $17.20 an hour. This is the equivalent of $687/week or $2,981/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $76,500 and as low as $19,000, the majority of Pool Lifeguard salaries currently range between $28,500 (25th percentile) to $36,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $44,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Pool Lifeguard varies greatly (by as much as 8000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Pool Lifeguard in your area makes on average $34,554 per year, or $1,220 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $35,774. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Pool Lifeguard salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Pool Lifeguard jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Pool Lifeguard on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Pool Lifeguard Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Pool Lifeguard job is above the national average. Topping the list is Santa Cruz County, CA, , with Scotts Valley, CA, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $8,029 (22.4%), and Santa Cruz County, CA, furthers that trend with another $13,867 (38.8%) above the $35,774 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Pool Lifeguard appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 17% between Santa Cruz County, CA, and El Cerrito, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Pool Lifeguard role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Santa Cruz County, CA

    $49,641

    $23.87

    Scotts Valley, CA

    $46,295

    $22.26

    Berkeley, CA

    $43,803

    $21.06

    Sitka, AK

    $43,096

    $20.72

    San Francisco, CA

    $42,148

    $20.26

    Palo Alto, CA

    $42,053

    $20.22

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $41,986

    $20.19

    Livermore, CA

    $41,962

    $20.17

    San Jose, CA

    $41,927

    $20.16

    El Cerrito, CA

    $41,589

    $19.99

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Pool Lifeguard Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Pool Lifeguard category.

    For example Aquatics Director jobs pay as much as $13,996 (39.1%) more than the average Pool Lifeguard salary of $35,774. If you're qualified, finding work as a Aquatics Director may help you make more money than that of the average Pool Lifeguard position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Aquatics Director

    $49,770

    $23.93

    Horticulture Industry

    $46,806

    $22.50

    Aquatics Instructor

    $42,064

    $20.22

    Swimming

    $40,216

    $19.33

    Water Park Lifeguard

    $35,774

    $17.20

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Pool Lifeguard salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $35,774 per year or $17.20 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.