Commercial Divers: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Commercial Divers work below surface of water, using scuba gear to inspect, repair, remove, or install equipment and structures. May use a variety of power and hand tools, such as drills, sledgehammers, torches, and welding equipment. May conduct tests or experiments, rig explosives, or photograph structures or marine life.

• Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.
• Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges.
• Communicate with workers on the surface while underwater, using signal lines or telephones.
• Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits.

Salary

Commercial Divers with little to no experience tend to make between $30810 and $37840 while the more experienced ones can earn over $66570 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Commercial Diver is to move to a higher paying state like AK. Right now, the highest paying states for Commercial Divers are AK, WA, NJ, NH and CT.

However, a higher pay at AK doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at AK might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Commercial Diver is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Commercial Divers what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Post-Secondary Certificate followed by an Associate’s Degree.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Commercial Diver.

What is the job like

67% of Commercial Divers said they were satisfied with their job and 52% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

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