Hello
I am a high school junior and I am wondering how working compares with volunteering. I know that volunteering is obviously better, however, I work as a swim instructor/lifeguard teaching to little kids so would colleges think that was good? I also haven’t had much volunteering experience yet so I was wondering how important is that to a college application and how many hours I should have to be competitive. My GPA is 3.9 unweighted and my SAT is 2130 so that is the “range” I’m shooting for in terms of colleges. Thanks a million!
Working and volunteering are equally fine. Colleges certainly understand the value of working and earning money. The idea is to be doing something positive and not sitting home on a couch.
I agree with happy1. There is no ‘volunteering requirement.’ It’s just one EC among the many that you can do, and working is another equally valid choice. ECs are an opportunity to learn some of the many things in life that can’t be taught in a classroom. Likewise it’s not how many hours you do this for each week - there is no minimum requirement - but rather what you do with the hours. Hopefully something that enriches you as a person and those with whom you interact. Teaching swimming and lifeguarding should both meet those criteria.
Working and volunteering are equal IMO. It doesn’t matter which one you do; colleges appreciate the EC no matter what as long as you have passion or dedication to it.
They both have value. Either of the two is fine 
I’m gonna go rogue here and say that I think volunteering can offer you opportunities working can’t. A lot of the time it’s much easier to volunteer in a field that is pertinent to your intended major or field of interest than it is to find work in that field, especially as a student. If you can find volunteering opportunities in something you’re interested in, I’d say go for it. Otherwise, they’re equal.
I’ll just argue the other side of the coin and say that last spring D, then a rising senior, asked her GC what the best thing she could do to strengthen her app would be. She had a number of volunteer hours under her belt, but had never had a paying job. The GC suggested that she find a job. She did, and it was a great experience for her. Not to mention that she now has some spending $ saved up for when she heads to college in the fall.
There is a space on the common app to list paid employment. My guess is that in assessing a well-rounded student, many ad coms probably like to see both paid and volunteer experience.