Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers Salary in San Diego, CA
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $43,050 a year — 28% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,500 take-home, or $2,958 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,986
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,669
- Medicare (1.45%)$624
- California income tax$711
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$560
- Take-home pay$35,500
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 San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,280 | $16.96 | $29,668 | $2,472 |
| 25th percentile | $37,520 | $18.04 | $31,349 | $2,612 |
| Median (50th) | $43,050 | $20.70 | $35,500 | $2,958 |
| 75th percentile | $46,710 | $22.46 | $38,247 | $3,187 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $59,410 | $28.56 | $47,530 | $3,961 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $43,050 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers's $35,500 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,728 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Diego, CA has 1.6× 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
San Diego, CA ranks #2 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
- Los Angeles, CA — $43,800
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make in San Diego, CA?
The median lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $43,050 a year, or about $20.70 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,520 and $46,710.
What is a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $43,050 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $35,500 a year ($2,958 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,271 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Pay here is 28% above the national median of $33,580. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,728 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #2 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 San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 83% 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 San Diego, CA
- Detective and Criminal Investigator — $124,840
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $110,400
- Firefighter — $70,900
- Protective Service Workers, All Other — $44,270
- Security Guard — $38,500