Do you actually intend to make money with your "pro" status?

[BarryNL]

Did it, still doing it.

As a side note, it's really hard for pro divers to make any money while everyone else is volunteering. You all took the training and pay for the insurance, why would you teach for free or for limited pay?

Rachel

Woah - capitalism has certainly got its claws firmly into you

Helping and teaching others can be highly fulfilling - that is it's own reward. Taking someone who's clearly nervous of diving and having them playing underwater frisbee half an hour later always makes my day.

 

[24940]

I signed up as a way to finance my move to tech, but stayed at it for love of the sport... honest. I'm still a tad in the red, but working towards black. I've received less than $1000 for the last two years, but haven't paid for gear, either. As long as I don't lose money at it, I get more than a pay check could ever provide.

My hourly rate for a class of four works out to about $4.85/hr, before taxes.

If I weren't an instructor, I'd be divorced. No way my wife would tolerate the incessant dive talk and I need a release.


BTW, no working professionals dependent on instruction were harmed in my pursuit of happiness.

 

[fisherdvm]

The two instructor's I do divemaster with spend about 16 hours per OW class. Running 4 to 6 students through. Assuming they pocket all the fees, which they don't.... That is 800 to 1200 per 32 instructor hours. That boils down to about $20 to $40 an hour. Cut the LDS's pay, the pool rental, equipment wear and tear, my guess is that they pocket less than $10 an hour.

I really think most folks do it for the love of the sport. I remember paying $60 for OW, and $60 for AOW in 1993. We had 5 to 6 student's per class. Equipment rentals were included including the suit. The nice thing was the facility was free (US marine base), room was free (army facility), and the ocean was free (shore dives).

 

[24940]

In 78', the AOW class (SSI didn't offer an BOW class then) was $175 where I worked. That required 2 lake, 2 river and 2 ocean dives. I believe the class length was 6 weeks. As a shop employee, I made a whopping $6/hr..

 

[wreckchick]

Capitalism? It's about rent. I work full-time as a dive instructor. I could make the same amount bartending 2 nights week but I don't because I love to dive and teach diving. The margins are already ridiculously thin.

Trust me, it ain't about the money.

R

Woah - capitalism has certainly got its claws firmly into you

Helping and teaching others can be highly fulfilling - that is it's own reward. Taking someone who's clearly nervous of diving and having them playing underwater frisbee half an hour later always makes my day.

 

[BarryNL]

Capitalism? It's about rent. I work full-time as a dive instructor. I could make the same amount bartending 2 nights week but I don't because I love to dive and teach diving. The margins are already ridiculously thin.

Trust me, it ain't about the money.

R

Then you can probably answer this question: "You all took the training and pay for the insurance, why would you teach for free or for limited pay?"

 

[jpcpat]

Then you can probably answer this question: "You all took the training and pay for the insurance, why would you teach for free or for limited pay?"

I can answer it, too: Because I enjoy it! One DM in Key Largo told me that she left corporate America 2 years earlier to be a DM and it hadn't felt like work yet.

 

[The_DivePirate]

I guess the real question here is, Do you intend to make a living in the industry? As for me, the whole reason for the jump to pro status is for the intent of starting a shop of my own. If I were a DM in a dive destination and I was being left on the dock/shore due too vacationing DM's, I'd have too be asking myself what it is the vacationing DM is doing that makes him/her a more viable option than myself? Coming from the DM role, I know the importance of marketing yourself and the service you provide your customers. I have a few divers from out of town that request my services when they come here to dive vs. other DM's. For what reason I do not know, I just pride myself on treating my custumers as would have wanted too be treated when I was a new diver. I also carry spare equipment in case they have issues with any of the gear they might have brought that is not working properly. The other thing I like do is too give them constructive ideas on what it may take too make their diving more enjoyable. I have not too this point, made any real money investments with my diving payroll, but, when it comes time for me too start my dive shop, Ill already have a good name in the industry.

 

[aparatchiki]

Reality is, some people do make money out of it...and some don't and prefer to just be compensated in kind.

I certainly know alot of independent DM's, OWSI and CD/IT's (who are based in SE Asian countries, btw) who has made diving a full time job. and are quite "comfortable" to say the least. comfortable because they earn an above-average income and rarely have to pay taxes since they keep they keep the income after the overheads which is about 60% of the scuba diving tuition fees.

Could it possibly be, that making money out of diving depends on where you are located, your connections and the dive pro culture in your area?

As for myself, I have yet to make a single centavo as a dive pro but as an EFR instructor teaching EFR courses well that has kept me afloat. In fact, teaching EFR courses generated a significant amount for me than my regular job in many occasions. and has paid for trips, gears, continuing education etc.