Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $43,800 a year — 30% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,063 take-home, or $3,005 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,076
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,716
- Medicare (1.45%)$635
- California income tax$741
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$569
- Take-home pay$36,063
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,530 | $17.08 | $29,856 | $2,488 |
| 25th percentile | $38,470 | $18.50 | $32,062 | $2,672 |
| Median (50th) | $43,800 | $21.06 | $36,063 | $3,005 |
| 75th percentile | $46,020 | $22.13 | $37,729 | $3,144 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,510 | $29.57 | $49,064 | $4,089 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $43,800 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers's $36,063 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,755 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Los Angeles, CA has 1.8× the national concentration of lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #1 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $43,800 | $36,063 | $31,755 |
| 2 | San Diego, CA | $43,050 | $35,500 | $31,728 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $39,240 | $33,709 | $30,332 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $36,620 | $30,701 | $29,023 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $34,830 | $29,504 | $28,557 |
| 6 | Miami, FL | $37,230 | $32,094 | $28,115 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $34,080 | $28,308 | $27,092 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $36,600 | $30,209 | $26,837 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 13 metros →
About the job: lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.5% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers salaries elsewhere in California
- San Diego, CA — $43,050
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $43,800 a year, or about $21.06 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,470 and $46,020.
What is a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $43,800 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $36,063 a year ($3,005 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,311 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Pay here is 30% above the national median of $33,580. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,755 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #1 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 75% of a median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
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