Average Divemaster's Salary

[Doby45]

I LOVE Paninis!! I would also request some hearty chili as I use Fartrox in my drysuit.. Keeps me warm.

Sammich? Dude...

 

[geoff w]

I was never part of the DM salary survey, and based on most of the responses here, I suspect nobody else who commented here was either. I just went to simplyhired.com to see if I could figure out how they came up with $38K average salary. Clearly at $38K, US divemasters are underpaid, because if you don't specify a location, the average divemaster salary is $59,672 - see divemaster Salaries | Simply Hired Reading the fine print, it says "Please note that all salary figures are approximations based upon third party submissions to Simply Hired. These figures are given to Simply Hired users for the purpose of generalized comparison only. Minimum wage may differ by jurisdiction and you should consult the employer for actual salary figures."

I suspect if you restrict the sample size to US DMs who work 5+ days every week all year on tourist boats, such as in Hawaii, and include tips, it's not unreasonable to come up with $38K, or even $59K. But for the majority who are DMs with real day jobs, the actual DM salary is closer to $0. Although the experience and occasionally the perks are priceless

 

[Remy B.]

So why be a DM?

If you want to be an Instructor you have to be a slave (DM) first

 

[TMHeimer]

So why be a DM?

I had 3 reasons (any order you wish):
--to see if I could pass the course, ie. it was a challenge and a goal.
--to get a toe back into education as an assistant, having been a teacher (and not to have the buck stop with me, as it always had).
--to see if I actually could perform well as an assistant once I passed the course and had my DM.

The pay was $300 Canadian for an OW course, so I was not in it for the money. But if there was no actual pay, I wouldn't have done it despite the 3 reasons above. I also enjoyed teaching Band as a career, but they paid me there too--not some volunteer extra curricular thing that one did because they loved it and no pay.

 

[KevinNM]

I suspect if you restrict the sample size to US DMs who work 5+ days every week all year on tourist boats, such as in Hawaii, and include tips, it's not unreasonable to come up with $38K, or even $59K. But for the majority who are DMs with real day jobs, the actual DM salary is closer to $0. Although the experience and occasionally the perks are priceless

As far as I could tell, every single person who worked at Jack's in Kona was an instructor. The boat captains, the equipment techs, the guides, the guys doing wet suit fittings and filling tanks, the clerks working the registers in the store: every single one was an instructor and most had quite a bit of experience. And they rotated jobs, they would guide one day and the next I'd see them selling fins in the store.

 

[diver257a]

Hi everyone,

The following is some information about divemaster wages in Australia which I found on the website of an Australian government agency called the Fair Work Commission. All monetary sums are in Australian dollars (AUD).

Firstly, there are two workplace awards in Australia applicable to recreational diving - the Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award 2010 and Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award 2010.

The Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award 2010 states that a divemaster working full-time shall get 38,104 AUD per annum - refer the following link for more information - http://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/documents/modern_awards/pdf/MA000109.pdf.

The Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award 2010 states that a person employed as ‘Dive Master/Diver Instructor‘ and works full-time shall get 160.48 AUD per day - refer the following link for more information: http://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/documents/modern_awards/pdf/MA000093.pdf. Please note that the award describes the position as being concerned with “instructing and supervising diving operations” as well as other duties such as assisting with the operation of the vessel and hospitality duties such as meals & liquor service. It is possible if there is no requirement to carry out instruction during a charter, then a person who is qualified only as a divemaster should be able to do the work.

 

[kensuf]

I LOVE Paninis!! I would also request some hearty chili as I use Fartrox in my drysuit.. Keeps me warm.

I failed my UDIE ITC because my students survived, so I'm not allowed to issue Methox certifications.

 

[lermontov]

My net profit last year was $8.

less tax? :-0

 

[rjack321]

So why be a DM?

Cause everyone really needs an overpriced "professional" certification that keeps the shop/instructor in business and allows you to boast to all your friends about your diving prowess while simultaneously blesses you to be a glorified free tank monkey.

 

[Bob DBF]

I was never part of the DM salary survey, and based on most of the responses here, I suspect nobody else who commented here was either. I just went to simplyhired.com to see if I could figure out how they came up with $38K average salary. Clearly at $38K, US divemasters are underpaid, because if you don't specify a location, the average divemaster salary is $59,672 - see divemaster Salaries | Simply Hired Reading the fine print, it says "Please note that all salary figures are approximations based upon third party submissions to Simply Hired. These figures are given to Simply Hired users for the purpose of generalized comparison only. Minimum wage may differ by jurisdiction and you should consult the employer for actual salary figures."

Simply Hired gets paid on clicks and what s better than getting a bunch of recreational divemasters looking for a big score. From what I can determine the salary scale is for commercial diving. Outside a very small percentage of recreational DMs that make a living at diving, my guess at avergering out the salaries would be south of $1k/year, and if you drop out the individuals that have to be instructors, or hold other positions to be hired as a DM, then it would be significantly less. Not many clicks for that ad profile.


From this thread, post #47

I was hunting around the web and although they were talking about recreational DM's, it seems to me they were using the salary of commercial DM's.

The Average Divemaster's Salary Things to Know As a Divemaster

Highest Level of Employment
Support activities for mining operations employ the highest number of divemasters (570) at an annual mean wage of $59,630. Heavy and civil engineering construction is the highest paying group at $66,100 annual mean wage, but ranks second in employment level. Utility system construction pays an annual mean wage of $65,700.

Highest Concentration of Employment
Heavy and civil engineering ranks first in the highest concentration of divemasters employed in the industry at 0.56 percent, and also claims the highest average mean annual wage at $66,100. Second highest concentration goes to support activities for mining at 0.21 percent, and an average mean annual wage of $59,630. Support for water transportation is a close third with 0.20 percent concentration and an annual mean wage of only $43,750.

Top Paying Industries
Heavy and civil engineering construction tops the list of highest paying industries at $66,100 annual mean wage. Following at second, third and fourth positions are utility system construction at $65,700, support activities for mining at $59,630, and a miscellaneous category of other support services at $56,230. Highway, street and bridge construction completes the list at a mean average wage of $52,860.

Top Paying States
The states with the top salaries are either bordered by an ocean or completely surrounded by water. On the East Coast, New Jersey and New York are ranked first and third in annual mean wage by state, with New Jersey at $79,010 and New York at $66,750. Two West Coast states, California and Washington, hold second and fourth positions, with California at $76,500 and Washington at $64,130. Hawaii completes the list at fifth place, with an average mean wage of $60,930.



Read more: Divemaster Pay Scale | eHow.com