How To Become An Ocean Lifeguard: What It Is and Career Path

What is an ocean lifeguard and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Lifeguards supervise the activities of swimmers on the beach and keep an eye out for signs of danger. Besides rescuing individuals from drowning, ocean lifeguards also protect those on the beach, dock, or pier.

These professionals need to be ready to move at a moment's notice; therefore, they are in great physical shape. Ocean lifeguards also require concentration to watch all the shimmers in the area all the time.

The daily routine of a lifeguard is highly variable. They may experience days with no emergencies and others in which a significant number of individuals need to be rescued. It's a critical job that requires focus and concentration. While it can be challenging, it's also rewarding.

To become an ocean lifeguard, you'll need excellent swimming skills, CPR knowledge, and a practical approach to life. There are no educational requirements to become an ocean lifeguard.

ScoreOcean LifeguardUS Average

Salary

2.3

Avg. Salary $29,909

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

2.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 4.36%

Black or African American 5.85%

Hispanic or Latino 13.89%

Unknown 7.97%

White 67.56%

Gender

female 31.69%

male 68.31%

Age - 21

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 21

Stress Level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

3.7

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an ocean lifeguard

Explore ocean lifeguard education requirements

Most common ocean lifeguard degrees

Bachelor's

78.9 %

Associate

7.9 %

Master's

7.7 %

Start to develop specific ocean lifeguard skills

Skills	Percentages
Public Safety	23.30%
EMT	11.42%
Emergency Situations	10.99%
Patrol	10.21%
Responder	7.13%

Complete relevant ocean lifeguard training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New ocean lifeguards learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an ocean lifeguard based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real ocean lifeguard resumes.

Research ocean lifeguard duties and responsibilities

Educate children in small groups about beach awareness, marine life, first aid and CPR.
Provide first aid treatment and CPR to patrons and maintain the beach while answering all patrons questions
Patrol or monitor recreational areas such as and swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
Provide first responder medical emergency aid.

Prepare your ocean lifeguard resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your ocean lifeguard resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an ocean lifeguard resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Ocean Lifeguard Resume templates

Build a professional Ocean Lifeguard resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Ocean Lifeguard resume.

Apply for ocean lifeguard jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an ocean lifeguard job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do ocean lifeguards rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Ocean Lifeguard reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Cons

Surprises

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

Meeting patrons keeping people safe