Seasonal Guide Wage Report 2026
What ski schools, raft outfitters and bike parks actually post as pay — pulled only from the employer job postings Shoulder Season tracks. No surveys, no estimates.
Posted starting pay by role
| Role | Openings tracked | List any pay | US hourly figures | US posted hourly range | US median | Housing included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ski & snowboard instructor | 129 | 103 | 78 | $15.00 – $32.04 | $21.00 | 48 |
| Raft guide | 30 | 10 | 4 | $10.00 – $15.50 | $14.46 | 11 |
| Mountain bike guide | 18 | 4 | 1 | $21.50 – $21.50 | n/a (fewer than 3) | 0 |
Hourly = the lowest hourly rate stated in each US posting (USD). Many raft and bike outfitters pay per day or per trip plus tips, so they don't appear in the hourly columns — see their exact wording below.
Day, trip and tip-based pay (as posted)
- Echo Canyon River Expeditions (Cañon City): “$60–$120/trip + $15.16/hr extra work” — posting
- Kaitiaki Adventures (Rotorua (Kaituna & Wairoa rivers)): “NZ$28.75–35.75/hr” — posting
- Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City): “$10–$11/hr (listed)” — posting
- River & Trail Outfitters (Harpers Ferry): “$13.75–$25.00/hr ($55/trip, $110–$180/day + tips)” — posting
- River Expeditions (Oak Hill): “Salary + gratuities” — posting
- River Runners (Buena Vista): “$15.50/hr + tips (+$1 WFR/EMT, +$1 Swiftwater)” — posting
- ROW Adventures (Merlin): “New-to-ROW guides avg $3,000–$7,000 wages/season + tips” — posting
- Tongariro River Rafting (Tūrangi): “NZ$30–40/hr equivalent” — posting
- Western River Expeditions / Moab Adventure Center (Moab): “Competitive pay + tips” — posting
- Wilderness Aware Rafting (Buena Vista): “$120/day (1st year)” — posting
Key takeaways
- Ski schools publish hourly pay far more often than raft and bike outfitters, which skews public pay data toward ski.
- Raft and MTB pay is mostly day/trip rates plus tips — guides can't compare offers easily. Outfitters who post a clear rate stand out.
- Housing is stated on a minority of postings; it's the biggest unknown for seasonal workers.
Methodology
Source: employer careers pages and postings collected for the Shoulder Season job tracker (weekly refresh; aggregator links excluded). We record the pay text exactly as written and parse the lowest stated hourly figure. Non-USD and per-trip/day rates are excluded from hourly stats. Counts change each refresh. Raw listings: all jobs.
Planned additions for the full release: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for recreation workers (SOC 39-9032) as a baseline, and opt-in guide-reported pay.
Press & data requests: hello@shoulderseasonjobs.com — The Shoulder Season crew. Free to cite with a link.
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