Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
SOC Code: 33-9092
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers carries a 39% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $33,720 and +5.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 149,700 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 39% AI exposure, Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers sits 2 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 65% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
40/100
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $33,720
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A- +5.8%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 39% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers keeps an No credential bar (109 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
39% Around the middle lower than 35% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 33-9092) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
- 2. Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
- 3. Contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury.
- 4. Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
- 5. Warn recreational participants of inclement weather, unsafe areas, or illegal conduct.
- 6. Maintain quality of pool water by testing chemical levels.
- 7. Complete and maintain records of weather and beach conditions, emergency medical treatments performed, and other relevant incident information.
- 8. Observe activities in assigned areas, using binoculars, to detect hazards, disturbances, or safety infractions.
- 9. Operate underwater recovery units.
- 10. Instruct participants in skiing, swimming, or other recreational activities and provide safety precaution information.
Key Skills Required
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Service Orientation
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Psychology
- Administration and Management
- Chemistry
- Therapy and Counseling
- Foreign Language
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers has an AI exposure score of 39%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers is projected to grow by 5.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 149,700 workers.
What skills are needed for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Key skills for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers include Monitoring, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, and others. Typical entry-level education is No formal educational credential.
How much do Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers earn?
The median annual wage for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers is $33,720, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
The typical entry-level education for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers is No formal educational credential. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers?
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (39% here).
- Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes · AI exposure 39%
- Art directors · AI exposure 39%
- Camera operators, television, video, and film · AI exposure 39%
- Chefs and head cooks · AI exposure 39%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+5.8% here).
- Biochemists and biophysicists · growth +5.8%
- Buyers and purchasing agents · growth +5.8%
- Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines · growth +5.8%
- Training and development managers · growth +5.8%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 14 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).