The Best Jobs for Surfers
Balancing surf and work is a juggling act — one that stops many surfers dead in their tracks. That’s because most “traditional” jobs are from 8 am to 5 pm, peak daylight hours for surfers to be out in the water. If you are in the right location a dawn patrol or evening session might be possible but you’ll miss out on any quality waves in the middle of the day.
Given that tricky predicament, how is a surfer to make money these days without sacrificing crucial time ripping waves? Well, you’re about to find out the very best occupations that cater to surfer’s needs.
The best part? These gigs are totally doable and realistic. Let’s dive into your options. We'll start with a list of top careers put together from suggestions from our global surf membership over on the surf forum and then add a little more detail about some of the careers.
Top jobs allowing more time to surf
- Surf instructor
- Marine biologist
- Lifeguard
- Bar tender / service industry jobs
- Teacher
- A remote / freelance job
- Social media influencer
- Flight attendant or pilot
- Photographer
- Professional DJ
- Fitness instructor
Shift work with longer hours / more days not working
- Firefighter
- Nurse
- Paramedic
Surf Instructor
This one’s obvious, isn’t it? No job puts you out in the water more than teaching others the very act of surfing.
Though, you’ll need to be a pretty advanced surfer yourself if you want to sustain yourself at it. No one — not even that tourist that doesn’t know the first thing about the sport — will pay you money to teach if you can’t balance yourself with ease and even pull off a fancy move here and there.
Moreover, you’ll have to be good at marketing yourself. Expect to have steep competition from other surfers with the same goal so setting yourself apart is a must. Doing so either comes from unparalleled boarding skills or savvy marketing skills.
Regular School Teacher
Speaking of teachers, being one in a regular school subject — math, science, history, or heck, even music — isn’t a bad idea either. The full-time teacher schedule sets up perfectly for a seasoned surfer.
On one hand, school is done around 2 or 3 pm at most institutions. That gives you a few hours to hit the ocean right after the work day is done.
But even better than that, there’s a little thing called summer break. Having the months off of June, July, and August aligns perfectly with the peak surf seasons. And get this, teachers still get paid their regular salary during those off months. A win-win all around.
Service Job
No job is linked with being a full-time surfer more than a waiter or bartender. None. The association is as old as the sport itself.
Work hours in the service industry are typically evening or late into the night — long after the sun has set and it’s less safe to catch a wave. That’s the obvious advantage of working in the industry if you’re a surfer, but another one is the social aspect of it.
Of course, if you want to rack up tip money you’ll need to be a smooth talker. And heck, why not speak about your surfing ambitions with customers? After all, surfers have the universal reputation for being “chill” and that’s usually liked by others.
But here’s a little known tip: use this time servicing people to also sell yourself as a surf instructor, especially to tourists. That way, you’re killing two birds with one stone.
Remote/Online Freelancer
Remote work from a computer has been a thing for a number of years now, but it’s really been thrust into the spotlight during the pandemic. With or without a virus spreading, we believe online-based work is here to stay.
That’s good news for surfers. Unlike a regular job that ties you to a physical location during daylight hours, remote work is way more flexible. You can arrange your work hours around your surf time. This also means that you can work much closer to decent surf spots and be ready when the swell hits.
A plethora of jobs can be done remotely (and more will be in the near future) that stretch across many industries. Popular options include digital marketing, customer service, web development, writing, and so much more.
Social Media Influencer
The last job on our list is also a relatively new opportunity for everyday surfers, but one that suits the hobby perfectly. These days, it pays to have a large following on social channels like Instagram, Tik Tok, or YouTube.
And given your interests, why not build a following of fellow surf-obsessed folks? You can create content around the sport — such as tutorials, tips, day-in-the-life documentaries, funny pranks — that appeal to other surfers. Do it enough over a long period of time and your followers will grow exponentially, so much that corporate brands will be in a hurry to partner with you (paying you in the process, of course).