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Commercial diver: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$72,990median pay per year, or $35.09 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $43,330lowest 10% earn less
  2. $54,81025th percentile
  3. $72,990median
  4. $101,55075th percentile
  5. $157,790top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[3]

Commercial divers, the BLS category that includes saturation divers, had a median pay of $72,990 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $43,330, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $157,790[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+4.8%[4]
Openings per year
400[5]
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award[6]

How much do commercial divers make?

In May 2025, the median wage for commercial divers was $72,990 a year, or $35.09 an hour[1]. Half of the workers earned more than the median and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $88,320 a year, or $42.46 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[3].

The range is very wide:

Point in the range Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[2][8] $43,330 $20.83
25th percentile[2][8] $54,810 $26.35
Median[1] $72,990 $35.09
75th percentile[2][8] $101,550 $48.82
90th percentile[2][8] $157,790 $75.86

BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These wages cover wage and salary workers, both part time and full time. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 3,450 people held wage and salary jobs as commercial divers[11]. The data does not give a separate pay figure for saturation divers.

Pay by state and city

BLS published state medians for 19 states[12]. Washington was highest at $161,800, followed by New York at $157,800 and Rhode Island at $126,320[12]. Texas was lowest at $46,490[12]. California was at $101,540[12].

The states with the most jobs were Florida (370), California (310), Louisiana (230), New York (170) and Connecticut (120)[13]. These are small counts, so a state median may rest on very few workers.

For metro areas, the only area listed with the highest median wage was Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX at $50,920[14]. Houston and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL each had 100 jobs, the most among metro areas listed[15]. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA had 60 jobs and a median of $101,550[15].

Show median pay in 19 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[12]$161,800n/a
New York$157,800170
Rhode Island$126,320n/a
California$101,540310
Hawaii$95,75070
New Jersey$86,920n/a
Arizona$85,990n/a
Vermont$85,78080
Indiana$83,510n/a
Maine$74,610n/a
Kentucky$63,550n/a
Missouri$63,030n/a
Virginia$62,340n/a
Louisiana$62,230230
Connecticut$59,690120
Michigan$54,62080
Florida$49,640370
South Carolina$49,26030
Texas$46,490n/a

How to become a commercial diver

BLS describes the typical path into this occupation as follows[6]:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone Three, which means previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience is required[16]. The facts here do not name specific certifications or schools, and they do not say how long training takes.

What commercial divers do

O*NET describes the work as working under water with surface-supplied air or scuba gear to inspect, repair, remove or install equipment and structures[17]. Divers may also use power and hand tools, run tests, set explosives or take photographs[17]. Tasks include:

Workers report titles such as diver, diver tender, hard hat diver, salvage diver and saturation diver[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of commercial divers to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,000 to 4,200 jobs, a change of 200[4]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[20]. These counts include self-employed workers, who were 14.8% of commercial divers in 2025[4][21].

About 400 openings are projected each year, on average[5]. Openings count jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, as well as brand new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.7% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[22]. This is a small occupation, so the number of openings is small too.

Is it a good fit?

The facts show median pay above the all-occupations median[1][3], and a very wide gap between the lowest- and highest-paid workers[2]. Typical entry is a postsecondary nondegree award with moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. Growth is projected slightly above the all-occupations rate, but from a small base[4][20]. State medians often rest on small job counts[12][13]. The facts here do not cover costs, schools, certifications or safety, so look into those before deciding.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a commercial diver make an hour?
The median was $35.09 an hour and the mean was $42.46 an hour in May 2025[1][7].
How much does a commercial diver make a year?
The median was $72,990 a year[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $43,330 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $157,790[1][2].
What is the highest paying state for commercial divers?
Washington had the highest median at $161,800, ahead of New York at $157,800[12].
What education do you need to be a commercial diver?
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry education, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is commercial diving a growing field?
BLS projects 4.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 400 openings a year[4][20][5].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Commercial Divers in the US was $72,990 per year and $35.09 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Commercial Divers: 10th percentile $43,330, 25th percentile $54,810, 75th percentile $101,550, 90th percentile $157,790. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Commercial Divers is projected to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,000 to 4,200 jobs (a change of +200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 400 openings for Commercial Divers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Commercial Divers: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Commercial Divers was $88,320 per year and $42.46 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Commercial Divers: 10th percentile $20.83, 25th percentile $26.35, 75th percentile $48.82, 90th percentile $75.86. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,450 people were employed as Commercial Divers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Commercial Divers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Commercial Divers jobs: Florida 370; California 310; Louisiana 230; New York 170; Connecticut 120. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Commercial Divers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $50,920. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Commercial Divers jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 100 (median $50,920); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 100; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 90 (median $55,440); Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 90 (median $62,820); Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 70 (median $59,690); San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 60 (median $101,550). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 49-9092.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Commercial Divers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Commercial Divers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 49-9092.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Diver, Diver Tender, Diving Coordinator, Hard Hat Diver, NDT UW Welder (Non Destructive Testing Under Water Welder), Salvage Diver, Saturation Diver. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections: 14.8% of Commercial Divers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Commercial Divers: 3.7% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.