Lifeguard job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

10

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$33,580

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers (O*NET-SOC 33-9092.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers. importance 4.8 of 5
2. Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment. importance 4.8 of 5
3. Contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury. importance 4.7 of 5
4. Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment. importance 4.7 of 5
5. Warn recreational participants of inclement weather, unsafe areas, or illegal conduct. importance 4.3 of 5
6. Maintain quality of pool water by testing chemical levels. importance 4.3 of 5
7. Complete and maintain records of weather and beach conditions, emergency medical treatments performed, and other relevant incident information. importance 4.2 of 5
8. Instruct participants in skiing, swimming, or other recreational activities and provide safety precaution information. importance 4.1 of 5
9. Inspect recreational equipment, such as rope tows, T-bars, J-bars, or chair lifts, for safety hazards and damage or wear. importance 4.0 of 5
10. Inspect recreational facilities for cleanliness. importance 3.6 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Assisting and Caring for Others, Performing General Physical Activities, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials and Documenting/Recording Information.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Observe activities in assigned areas, using binoculars, to detect hazards, disturbances, or safety infractions.
• Operate underwater recovery units.
• Provide assistance with staff selection, training, and supervision.
• Provide assistance in the safe use of equipment, such as ski lifts.
• Participate in recreational demonstrations to entertain resort guests.

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Education and Training and Medicine and Dentistry.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, GroupMe. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a lifeguard.

The most common answer among lifeguards surveyed by O*NET is less than a high school diploma (39%).

Job title: Lifeguard
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Lifeguard to monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
- Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
- Contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury.
- Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
- Warn recreational participants of inclement weather, unsafe areas, or illegal conduct.
- Maintain quality of pool water by testing chemical levels.
- Complete and maintain records of weather and beach conditions, emergency medical treatments performed, and other relevant incident information.
- Instruct participants in skiing, swimming, or other recreational activities and provide safety precaution information.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in monitoring, speaking and social perceptiveness
- Working knowledge of Customer and Personal Service and Public Safety and Security
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Outlook]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $33,580 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $16.14. BLS estimates about 157,550 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 45,400 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full lifeguard salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real lifeguard posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only lifeguard work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (monitoring and speaking); lifeguard interview questions turns them into practice questions.