Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salary
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ make a median of $36,600 a year, or about $17.6 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $32,516 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month, about 115.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
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What this looks like in New York-Newark-Jersey City
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers pay in New York-Newark-Jersey City tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $34K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,910/month, which is 116.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers in metros near New York-Newark-Jersey City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rochester | $35K | $36K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $35K | $37K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $32K | $32K |
| Syracuse | $33K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $60K | +80% | 290 |
| Hawaii | $53K | +57% | 720 |
| California | $43K | +27% | 22,620 |
| Washington | $38K | +12% | 4,720 |
| Montana | $38K | +12% | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +9% | 2,640 |
| New York | $37K | +9% | 8,740 |
| Vermont | $36K | +7% | 310 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +7% | 1,510 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | +7% | 370 |
| Colorado | $36K | +6% | 5,430 |
| Arizona | $35K | +5% | 3,950 |
| Florida | $35K | +4% | 9,460 |
| Oregon | $35K | +4% | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $35K | +4% | 5,460 |
| Alaska | $35K | +3% | 340 |
| Maryland | $35K | +3% | 4,160 |
| Maine | $34K | +2% | 340 |
| Illinois | $34K | +0% | 5,880 |
| New Hampshire | $32K | -4% | 280 |
| Delaware | $32K | -5% | 360 |
| Minnesota | $32K | -5% | 2,130 |
| South Dakota | $31K | -8% | 490 |
| Georgia | $31K | -8% | 2,840 |
| Nevada | $31K | -8% | 2,630 |
| Virginia | $30K | -10% | 8,920 |
| Michigan | $30K | -11% | 3,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -12% | 5,450 |
| Texas | $29K | -12% | 11,320 |
| Missouri | $29K | -13% | 3,100 |
| Nebraska | $29K | -13% | 1,250 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -14% | 500 |
| Idaho | $29K | -14% | 750 |
| Utah | $29K | -14% | 2,550 |
| Indiana | $29K | -15% | 3,290 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -15% | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -15% | 3,350 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -15% | 1,820 |
| North Dakota | $28K | -15% | 580 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -16% | 2,330 |
| Alabama | $28K | -16% | 1,080 |
| Ohio | $28K | -17% | 6,450 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -19% | 4,850 |
| Kansas | $27K | -19% | 1,750 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -20% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $26K | -22% | 1,900 |
| Iowa | $25K | -24% | 1,410 |
| Oklahoma | $25K | -25% | 650 |
| West Virginia | $25K | -27% | 450 |
| Mississippi | $24K | -27% | 330 |
| Louisiana | $22K | -34% | 660 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 116.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,934/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 150% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service worker a high-paying job in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $34K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $36,600 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers can clear $45,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,503/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 116.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary go in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary is worth about $32,516 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.