Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salary in Chicago, IL
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $33,750 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,772 take-home, or $2,314 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,870
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,093
- Medicare (1.45%)$489
- Illinois income tax$1,526
- Take-home pay$27,772
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
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 Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,850 | $2,154 |
| 25th percentile | $31,320 | $15.06 | $25,940 | $2,162 |
| Median (50th) | $33,750 | $16.23 | $27,772 | $2,314 |
| 75th percentile | $35,440 | $17.04 | $29,047 | $2,421 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,780 | $18.16 | $30,811 | $2,568 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $33,750 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers's $27,772 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,809 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.09).
Best-paying cities for lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #9 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 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $33,750 | $27,772 | $26,809 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make in Chicago, IL?
The median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $33,750 a year, or about $16.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,320 and $35,440.
What is a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $33,750 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $27,772 a year ($2,314 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,526 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $33,580. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,809 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #9 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 Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 66% 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%.
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