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Human Resources

NSAA’S 2019 WAGE & SALARY SURVEY

Results Reflect Strong Labor Demands Across the Country

BY DAVE BYRD, DIRECTOR OF RISK & REGULATORY AFFAIRS

IN MAY, THE U.S. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE hit a historic low Overall Inflation Rate
of 3.6 percent nationally—the lowest since 1969. While vs. Wage Growth of
low unemployment is great for the overall economy, the low U.S. Ski Industry 6.1% 5
unemployment is especially challenging in ski states, leading wage OF THE
to higher wages, smaller labor pools, increased demand for growth TOP 10
foreign workers on visas, and the potential for thousands of positions at ski areas
unfilled jobs in the ski industry for lack of labor. 3.2% with the largest
While human resources directors across the ski industry wage wage growth
2.4%
may have grimaced with the daunting challenge facing inflation growth were in F&B and
them for hiring this fall, there is help in the form of NSAA’s banquet services
2019 Wage & Salary Survey. The voluminous data enables
department heads, human resources professionals, and U.S. inflation Managers/ Non-manager
resort managers to stay competitive from a wage and bene- in 2018 Supervisors Positions
fits standpoint with their peer resorts, based on skier visits,
region, vertical transportation feet, and employee volume. Job Positions With Most Employees
For ski areas participating in the survey, the cost is $125; 1. Ski School Instructor, no certification 9,254
for non-participating resorts, it runs $400—and is still a 2. Lift operator/attendant 8,177
tremendous value (to order, visit www.nsaa.org/store). 3. Ski School Instructor, Level 1 certification 7,666
Compiled and managed for years by Charlie Riley and his
team at Sierra Research Associates, NSAA’s annual survey 4. Ski School Instructor, Level 2 certification 4,032
comes either in a PDF or a searchable Excel database. 5. Ski Rental technician 3,939
This data is strictly confidential and private, and is only
available for purchase by a ski area’s senior management.
While NSAA has been conducting the industry’s wage Highest Paid Positions
and salary survey going back decades, NSAA’s 2019 Wage 1. General Manager
& Salary Survey offers some unique insights from the 142 2. CFO / Controller
ski areas participating in the national survey. There are a 23% 3. Human Resources
variety reasons for wage growth—demand for labor, housing Director
costs, recent tax cuts, or increases in minimum wage to name 4. GM-Lodging
a few—but the bottom line is that the overall wage growth 5. Marketing Director
outlook is promising for our dedicated employees. WAGE 6. Mountain Operations
GROWTH Director
for entry-level lift
$$$$$$
Jobs Report In White & Black operators since
Participating resorts account for more than 70% of 2015
all skier visits this season, and included more than
116,000 JOBS Signs of the Times
In 2017, NSAA started compiling wages for employee
at U.S. ski resorts. In sharp
housing coordinators: 33 are currently in the industry.
contrast, there were 53,000
In 2014, NSAA started compiling wages for social
jobs in the entire coal
media managers/coordinators: 105 are currently
industry in 2019.
in the industry.
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics)

SUMMER 2019 | NSAA JOURNAL | 9