Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035 (about 8,900 more jobs), with about 45,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $33,580 a year ranks 817th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.5%
- Openings a year
- 45,400
- Median pay
- $33,580
- Pay rank
- 817th of 825
Is employment of lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers to rise 5.5% (about 8,900 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +1.1% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 24 protective service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 201st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 162,000 |
| Employment, 2035 | 170,800 |
| Projected change | +5.5% |
| Openings a year | 45,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 162,000 jobs here differ from the 157,550 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 45,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 90th most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 890 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers rank?
The median of $33,580 a year ranks 817th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: no formal educational credential.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighters | +3.7% | 26,800 | $59,280 |
| Security Guards | +0.9% | 156,000 | $38,020 |
| Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | +13.1% | 400 | $56,870 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | +3.7% | 6,600 | $93,530 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | +4.2% | 1,600 | $75,920 |
| Parking Enforcement Workers | -1.1% | 800 | $46,730 |
| Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | -1.3% | 1,400 | $35,450 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | +5.8% | 13,800 | $44,470 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.