How much do Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers make in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?

Percentile spread

For Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers, the published 10th percentile is $27,040 and the 90th percentile is $34,670. The difference is $7,630, which is 24.5% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $28,120 to the 75th at $31,460, covers $3,340.

The mean annual wage is $30,980, which sits below the median of $31,200. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA median is 7.1% lower than the national median of $33,580 for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $33,653, which is 0.2% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 3.8% higher than the Virginia median of $30,070.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is 92.710, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $31,200 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers at $33,653 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

23 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers. Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA ranks 3rd of 24 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Roanoke, VA is 34 miles away, with a median of $29,580 and employment of 370. That median is 5.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $31,596, against $33,653 here.
• Winston-Salem, NC is 73 miles away, with a median of $26,300 and employment of 220. That median is 15.7% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $28,574, against $33,653 here.
• Lynchburg, VA is 74 miles away, with a median of $28,650 and employment of 170. That median is 8.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $32,060, against $33,653 here.

Employment share

Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers accounts for 0.22% of wage-and-salary employment in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA (160 of 74,070). Nationally the occupation is 0.10% of employment (157,550 of 155,495,730). The local share is 2.13 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.