Prevailing Wage for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
Prevailing wage requirements for Beach Attendant positions, including Ocean Lifeguard and Beach Lifeguard roles, are set by the DOL under SOC 33-9092. DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels, and the floor for each level shifts significantly depending on the hiring city. Sponsored candidates should confirm their offer clears the correct level before accepting.
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Level 1 covers entry-level candidates with no prior professional experience in this occupation. Employers typically file here for new hires completing initial certifications, such as first-season lifeguards supervised closely by senior staff at pools or beach facilities.
Level 2 applies to workers with some relevant experience and basic professional judgment. Most H-1B and green card filings for Beach Attendant and Ocean Lifeguard roles land here, as candidates typically hold current certifications and have at least one season of documented experience.
Level 3 is for experienced professionals who work with greater independence, may oversee junior staff informally, and bring specialized skills such as open-water rescue techniques or ski patrol emergency response. Employers filing here generally require multiple seasons of verifiable experience.
Level 4 reflects senior or lead professionals with full competency, including responsibility for scheduling, training, or coordinating safety programs across a facility. This level is appropriate when the role carries supervisory accountability and requires advanced certifications.
Prevailing Wage for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Beach Attendant and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
Watch for seasonal contract structures
Beach Attendant and lifeguard roles are frequently seasonal. For sponsored positions, the LCA wage obligation covers only the certified employment period, but any gap between seasons can affect your visa status continuity. Confirm the employment period matches your I-94 validity.
Hawaii metros set unusually high wage floors
Kahului and Urban Honolulu consistently post the highest prevailing wages for this occupation nationally. If your offer is from a Hawaii-based employer, verify the L1 and L2 floors for that metro specifically, as they far exceed the national median.
Confirm the worksite city on your LCA
Lifeguard and ski patrol roles are tied to a specific physical site, whether a beach, pool, or mountain resort. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, not the employer's corporate headquarters, because the prevailing wage is drawn from that area's OES survey data.
Use Migrate Mate to identify sponsors
Relatively few employers have sponsored Beach Attendant or Ocean Lifeguard roles under H-1B or green card filings. Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented sponsorship history for this occupation, helping you target applications where sponsorship is a realistic outcome.
Jobs for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Beach AttendantPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 33-9092.00 alongside Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Beach Attendant Prevailing Wage
Beach Attendant Prevailing Wage
Beach Attendant positions fall under SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Beach Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
Beach Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Beach Lifeguard for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
Lifeguard is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Marine Safety Officer Prevailing Wage
Marine Safety Officer Prevailing Wage
Marine Safety Officer positions fall under SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Ocean Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
Ocean Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Ocean Lifeguard for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Prevailing Wage
Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Prevailing Wage
Ocean Lifeguard Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Pool Attendant Prevailing Wage
Pool Attendant Prevailing Wage
Pool Attendant positions fall under SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Pool Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
Pool Lifeguard Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pool Lifeguard for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Ski Patrol Paramedic Prevailing Wage
Ski Patrol Paramedic Prevailing Wage
Ski Patrol Paramedic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Ski Patroller Prevailing Wage
Ski Patroller Prevailing Wage
Ski Patroller positions fall under SOC 33-9092.00 (Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL determine the prevailing wage for Beach Attendant roles?
DOL sets prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics through regional employer surveys. For each metro area, wages are calculated at four experience levels under SOC 33-9092. Employers sponsoring a Beach Attendant or Ocean Lifeguard must pay at least the level that matches the role's actual duties and required experience, as certified on the Labor Condition Application filed with OFLC.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified workers with some independent judgment. Level 3 applies to experienced staff who may informally lead others. Level 4 covers senior or supervisory roles. The employer selects the level on the LCA, and OFLC can challenge a filing if the stated level understates the actual duties. Review the job description against DOL's level definitions to assess whether the filed level is accurate.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much between cities?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metro's floor reflects local labor market conditions. Coastal California and Hawaii markets, where qualified lifeguards are in high demand year-round, consistently produce higher floors than inland or rural metros. Because the LCA must list the actual worksite, the wage floor follows the job location, not where the employer is headquartered. A sponsored lifeguard position in Los Angeles carries a materially different floor than the same title in a lower-cost metro.
What happens if a sponsored offer for a Beach Attendant role falls below the prevailing wage?
An offer below the DOL prevailing wage for the certified level cannot legally support a Labor Condition Application. OFLC will reject or audit the LCA filing, and USCIS will deny a petition relying on a defective LCA. If you are already in status and your employer reduces your pay below the certified wage, you may be out of compliance with your visa conditions. Confirm the offered salary meets the floor before the LCA is filed, not after.
How can I look up the prevailing wage for a Beach Lifeguard role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up SOC 33-9092 wages by metro area. Select the relevant metropolitan area and the wage level that matches the role's duties. You can also review O*NET for occupation-level context. If you want to see which employers have actually sponsored this occupation before, Migrate Mate shows historical sponsorship counts filtered by role and location, which helps you identify realistic hiring targets alongside wage verification.
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