--- title: 'Summer Job Season: Cities Are So Desperate for Lifeguards That They''re Offering Signing Bonuses' description: Amid a shortage of lifeguards, desperate parks and recreation departments across the U.S. are offering financial incentives to new hires. authors: - name: Sarah Hansen role: Senior Writer url: https://money.com/author/sarah-hansen/ bio: Sarah Hansen is a senior writer at Money covering all things personal finance. Previously, she covered economic policy and capital markets on the breaking news desk at Forbes. education: Northwestern University, New York University at_money_since: 2021 articles: 347 covers: - Career Advice - Banking - Business - Credit - Credit Cards - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes social: - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-m-hansen/ former_staff: true published: '2023-06-06T17:31:17.000Z' modified: '2024-09-24T19:52:09.000Z' section: Career Advice tags: - News word_count: 686 canonical: https://money.com/summer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay/ type: NewsArticle source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Photo of a public pool lifeguard on duty](https://img.money.com/2023/06/News-Big-Bonuses-Work-This-Summer-Job.jpg?crop=0px%2C183px%2C2880px%2C1620px&quality=85) Presented by: ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/17685/971d4710-a188-4b9a-90d5-a887cc13f521.png) Lexington Law’s credit repair consultants will work on your behalf to dispute mistakes on your report. Start repairing your credit today! [Go to LexingtonLaw.com](https://money.com/pr/rabf86210f6e?ap_referrer=%2Fsummer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay%2F) Looking for a well-paying, in-demand [job](https://money.com/best-job-search-sites/) this summer? Time to stock up on sunscreen. Amid a persistent shortage of lifeguards, parks and recreation departments across the United States are offering [incentives](https://money.com/jobs-with-signing-bonus/) to lure staff to public schools and beaches. Here are just a few examples: - In [New York City](https://www.nycgovparks.org/news/press-releases?id=22069#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20all%20lifeguards%20working%20through,a%20job%20as%20a%20lifeguard.), lifeguards who stay at their jobs through the middle of August are eligible for a $1,000 bonus at the end of the summer. That’s on top of the roughly $26 per hour wage they’ll earn. - The city of [Houston](https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/houston/jobs/3860300/lifeguard-seasonal-temporary?sort=PostingDate%7CDescending&page=3&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs&utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic), which is not able to open all its public pools this summer due to a lifeguard shortage, is offering $500 bonuses for lifeguards (half paid at the start of the summer, half at the end). Hourly pay starts at $16. - In [Ocean City](https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/departments/emergency-services/beach-patrol/employment/), Maryland, beach patrol lifeguards are eligible for a $500 signing bonus and a $250 stipend for housing costs, among other incentives. - In [Phoenix](https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/parks-and-recreation/2588), lifeguards can earn a whopping $3,000 bonus this season: An extra $500 in the first paycheck, and $2,500 at the end of the season. - The city of [Philadelphia](https://www.phila.gov/2023-05-25-city-partners-with-temple-university-to-offer-college-credit-to-lifeguards-working-at-public-pools-this-summer/) has partnered with Temple University to offer college credit to students who work as lifeguards this summer. Some cities, like Phoenix, are even offering low-impact versions of a lifeguard job (in which an employee guards only shallow pools, for instance), to attract candidates who wouldn’t otherwise meet the qualifications for a more intensive position. ## Getting a great job with a great pay starts with a great resume ### A Resume Builder can not only help improve your resume, but also match it with your career goals. Click on your state to get started. [Get Started](https://money.com/pr/v0aaf8403010?ap_referrer=%2Fsummer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay%2F) ## Is it a good time to get a summer job? This summer, economists at Rhode Island College are predicting that the [employment rate for teenagers](https://money.com/companies-college-grads-want-to-work-2023/) between the ages of 16 and 19 will hit 33.6%. That number, up from 32.7% last year and 26.3% in 2020, "suggests a strong summer job market,” they wrote in their [summer job forecast](https://www.ric.edu/documents/2023-summer-job-outlook-american-teens) for teenagers, published last month. A lot of that labor market strength comes from a persistent [labor shortage](https://money.com/job-openings-2021/) that made headlines during the pandemic. But another [report](https://www.challengergray.com/blog/2023-teen-summer-job-outlook-will-employers-add-more-jobs-for-teens-in-face-of-possible-recession/) released this spring isn’t so rosy. Recruiting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas estimated that teens would gain 1.1 million jobs in 2023 — the fewest gains since 2011, the firm said in a news release. It added that its 2023 estimate was based on “not only the potential for an economic slowdown that may impact job creation” but also the fact some teens may be reluctant to take jobs at all. That’s good news, however, for those who *do* want a position this summer. “Amusement parks, pools, restaurants and summer entertainment venues most certainly have needs,” Andrew Challenger, the firm’s senior vice president, said in the release. “These are in-person, shift roles that older job seekers may reject in lieu of remote or hybrid work.” ## How to get a summer job as a lifeguard Lifeguarding can be a great summer job, but you’ll need to meet the qualifications. For the most part, you'll also need to be at least 15 years old to work at a pool and at least 16 years old to work at a beach. Just like with any job, the first step in securing a lifeguard position will likely be an application. After that, you’ll probably need to pass a test, which could involve swimming, treading water or retrieving something heavy from the bottom of the pool. You may also be required to earn CPR certification or other safety certifications. Lifeguard certification courses will teach you a wide range of skills you'll need to help keep swimmers safe and respond to emergencies. Programs offered by the [American Lifeguard Association](https://americanlifeguard.com/lifeguarding/), for instance, cover water rescue skills, first aid, choking and CPR — just to name a few. Your new employer may offer a [training course](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/lifeguarding/lifeguard-training) before or after you get hired, or you can enroll in one on your own ahead of time. Training requirements will vary depending on where you live. ## Don’t let your credit hold you back ### Is bad credit weighing you down? A team of professionals who focuses on Credit Repair can help get you an accurate credit report. Better credit is possible — let’s get started. [View Plans](https://money.com/pr/vdf79bb33557?ap_referrer=%2Fsummer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay%2F) ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/22338/medium_66de1504-7f5e-4208-b1f7-52cce8fa7de5.png) Having a great resume can help you get closer to your dream job. [Get Started](https://money.com/pr/cd4098400841?ap_referrer=%2Fsummer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay%2F) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/summer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Career Advice", "item": "https://money.com/career-advice/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Job Listings", "item": "https://money.com/job-listings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Summer Job Season: Cities Are So Desperate for Lifeguards That They're Offering Signing Bonuses" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/summer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/summer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay/", "name": "Summer Job Season: Cities Are So Desperate for Lifeguards That They're Offering Signing Bonuses", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2023-06-06T17:31:17.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/summer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/summer-jobs-lifeguard-bonus-pay/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2024-09-24T19:52:09.000Z" }, { "@type": "NewsArticle", "headline": "Summer Job Season: Cities Are So Desperate for Lifeguards That They're Offering Signing Bonuses", "articleSection": "Career Advice", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2023/06/News-Big-Bonuses-Work-This-Summer-Job.jpg?crop=0px%2C183px%2C2880px%2C1620px&quality=85", "width": 1012, "height": 569, "caption": "News-Big-Bonuses-Work-This-Summer-Job" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Hansen", "url": "https://money.com/author/sarah-hansen/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/sarah-hansen/#author", "description": "Sarah Hansen is a senior writer at Money covering all things personal finance. 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