Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salary
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA make a median of $39,580 a year, or about $19.03 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $36,379 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 114.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $40K actually covers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Maria-Santa Barbara’s Regional Price Parity (108.8). 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara sits well above the national pay line for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $34K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 113.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.8), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $44K | $39K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $43K | $38K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $39K | $34K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $39K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Entry-level lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $20K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 113.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,124/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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,422/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 129% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $40K here vs. $34K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $39,580 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,320, and experienced lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers can clear $54,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,756/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 113.4% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara has a Regional Price Parity of 108.8 (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 $36,379 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.