Hiring ages › Gyms & community

How old do you have to be to work at YMCA?

You have to be at least 15 to work at YMCA. Each local YMCA is an independent organization and sets its own hiring age. State law can raise the age — pick your state below.

From job postings · checked October 2026

YMCA's hiring age policy

Each YMCA is an independent local association that sets its own hiring ages, so they differ by city and by job. Postings we checked hire junior lifeguards at 15 (Atlanta), lifeguards and junior camp counselors at 16, and regular camp and teen counselors at 18.

Minimum age by job

14
15
16
17
18+
15Junior Lifeguard
16Lifeguard / Assistant Lifeguard · Junior Camp Counselor
18+Camp Counselor · Teen Counselor
JobAgeNote
Junior Lifeguard15+YMCA of Metro Atlanta; needs lifeguard certification
Lifeguard / Assistant Lifeguard16+Atlanta (Lifeguard I) and San Diego (Assistant Lifeguard); San Diego's Lifeguard role is 18+
Junior Camp Counselor16+YMCA of Metro Atlanta
Camp Counselor18+YMCA of Metro Atlanta
Teen Counselor18+YMCA of Metro Atlanta

How much does YMCA pay teens?

$17.75–$19.8 an hour — Assistant Lifeguard and Lifeguard, YMCA of San Diego County, 2026; each local Y sets its own pay

How to apply at YMCA

Apply on your local YMCA association's careers page; aquatics jobs need a current lifeguard certification, and under-18s may need a work permit.

See YMCA jobs →

YMCA hiring age by state

The youngest age YMCA could hire you at in each state: the company's minimum or the state's, whichever is higher. “✓ seen” means we found a real YMCA posting there accepting that age.

From 15From 16✓ Seen in a posting
Show the table for all states
StateYoungest ageWork permitHours at 14–15 (school week)
Alabama15+Needed18 h
Alaska15+Needed18 h
Arizona15+No18 h
Arkansas15+No18 h
California15+Needed18 h
Colorado15+No18 h
Connecticut16+ state lawNeeded—
Delaware15+Needed18 h
District of Columbia15+Needed18 h
Florida15+No15 h
Georgia15+ ✓ seenNeeded18 h
Hawaii15+Needed18 h
Idaho15+No18 h
Illinois15+Needed18 h
Indiana15+No18 h
Iowa15+No18 h
Kansas15+No18 h
Kentucky15+No18 h
Louisiana15+Needed18 h
Maine15+Needed18 h
Maryland15+Needed18 h
Massachusetts15+Needed18 h
Michigan15+Needed18 h
Minnesota15+No18 h
Mississippi15+No18 h
Missouri15+Needed18 h
Montana15+No18 h
Nebraska15+Needed18 h
Nevada15+No18 h
New Hampshire15+Needed18 h
New Jersey15+Needed18 h
New Mexico15+Needed18 h
New York15+Needed18 h
North Carolina15+Needed18 h
North Dakota15+Needed18 h
Ohio15+Needed18 h
Oklahoma15+Needed18 h
Oregon15+No18 h
Pennsylvania15+Needed18 h
Rhode Island15+Needed18 h
South Carolina15+No18 h
South Dakota15+No18 h
Tennessee15+No18 h
Texas15+No18 h
Utah15+No18 h
Vermont15+No18 h
Virginia15+Needed18 h
Washington15+Needed16 h
West Virginia15+Needed18 h
Wisconsin15+Needed18 h
Wyoming15+No18 h

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Questions

How old do you have to be to work at YMCA?

You have to be at least 15 to work at YMCA. Each local YMCA is an independent organization and sets its own hiring age. State law can raise the age.

Can you work at the YMCA at 15?

At some Ys. The YMCA of Metro Atlanta has hired Junior Lifeguards at 15 (you need a lifeguard certification). Most other Y jobs we found start at 16 or 18, and it depends on your local Y.

How old do you have to be to be a YMCA lifeguard?

Usually 15–16, depending on the Y. You also need a current lifeguard certification; the American Red Cross requires you to be at least 15 by the last day of its lifeguard class.

How old do you have to be to be a YMCA camp counselor?

Often 18 for a full counselor. Some Ys hire junior camp counselors at 16 (for example, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta).

Why do YMCA hiring ages differ?

Every YMCA is a separate local nonprofit that sets its own rules on top of your state's child-labor laws. Check the posting for your local Y.

How much do YMCA lifeguards make?

In San Diego, 2026 postings paid about $17.75–$19.80 an hour. Pay varies a lot by city.

Other places that hire at 15

Sources

  1. Junior Lifeguard — Marietta, GA (YMCA of Metro Atlanta) (2025-10) — minAge 15 ('Minimum age of 15'); GA in statesEvidence15
  2. Lifeguard I — Brookhaven, GA (YMCA of Metro Atlanta) (2025-12) — Lifeguard I minimum age 16
  3. Junior Camp Counselor — Marietta, GA (YMCA of Metro Atlanta) (2026-09) — Junior camp counselor must be at least 16
  4. Camp Counselor — Norcross, GA (YMCA of Metro Atlanta) (2026-06) — Camp counselor must be at least 18
  5. Teen Counselor — Marietta, GA (YMCA of Metro Atlanta) (2026-02) — Teen counselor must be 18
  6. Assistant Lifeguard — YMCA of San Diego County — Minimum 16 years of age; pay $17.75–$18.00/hr
  7. Lifeguard — YMCA of San Diego County — Minimum 18 years of age; pay $18.00–$19.80/hr
  8. Lifeguard Certification — American Red Cross — Red Cross lifeguard students must be at least 15 by the last day of class

Last checked October 10, 2026. See a different age at your YMCA? Tell us.