Also called: River Guide
Steers rafts of guests through rapids and keeps them safe on the river.
You read the river from the back of the raft, yelling 'forward two!' as you line up for a class IV rapid. On multi-day trips you also cook dinner on the riverbank and set up camp. Guides train hard in swiftwater rescue.
Seasonal; tips are a big part of pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 0 years after high school. Guide school (a few weeks) plus swiftwater rescue and first aid.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Growing about average.
Low risk for 10 years. Reading rapids and keeping guests safe on the river is skilled, physical work.
Age 18+. One way to start: Sign up for a rafting company's spring guide school (often 1–3 weeks) and get Wilderness First Aid First: Company guide school plus Wilderness First Aid and swiftwater rescue
Classes: Physical education, Earth science, Health.
Official data: O*NET occupation 39-7012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.