Also called: Lifeguards
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers build social perceptiveness, service orientation and judgment and decision making skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians (86%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | 86% | $35,450 | +6% | None |
| 2 | Orderlies | 83% | $38,290 | +14% | None |
| 3 | Firefighters | 81% | $59,280 | +77% | None |
| 4 | Paramedics | 79% | $60,600 | +80% | Certificate or associate |
| 5 | Physical Therapist Aides | 77% | $35,240 | +5% | None |
| 6 | Animal Caretakers | 76% | $35,360 | +5% | None |
| 7 | Shampooers | 75% | $32,600 | −3% | None |
| 8 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 74% | $35,510 | +6% | None |
| 9 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | 73% | $58,940 | +76% | None |
| 10 | Parking Enforcement Workers | 73% | $46,730 | +39% | None |
Compared with Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers, median $33,580. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
86% skill match · $35,450 · +6% pay
Operation and Control · Equipment Maintenance · Operations Monitoring
83% skill match · $38,290 · +14% pay
Operation and Control · Negotiation · Troubleshooting
81% skill match · $59,280 · +77% pay
Operation and Control · Equipment Maintenance · Equipment Selection
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians (86% skill match, median $35,450), Orderlies (83% skill match, median $38,290) and Firefighters (81% skill match, median $59,280), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 22 pay more than lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers at the median. The biggest increases: First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers (+179%, $93,530), Flight Attendants (+89%, $63,580) and Paramedics (+80%, $60,600).
18 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.