This is a strange question but hopefully someone can help me out. I would like to know where to find statistics on number of certified divers, and possibly how that number has increased over the past years. It can be a specific agencey or industry wide. I wrote to PADI and they were not interested on giving out that information. Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Number of certified divers?
- Thread starter Antietam
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Don't think you are going to find statistics. Only guesses. And are you talking about Open Water certs, or any cert?
lmorin
Contributor
To get a useful number, you will have to sum across all the certification agencies. That will be impossible, particularly if they won't give you even approximate information. Even if you get a number that might be reasonable, you will have to subtract a number corresponding to the number of certified divers now dead. Why do you want the number of certified divers? It doesn't mean much other than indicating how many people went through certification. Supposedly, a large percentage never do another dive. Nobody really has a clue about the number of "active" divers or even what a useful definition of "active" is.
There is a high drop-out rate, so the number of certified divers and the number of active divers will be very different. Assuming it's the latter that's of more interest (though what do you want it for?) you'd need to poll all dive operators and clubs rather than certifying agencies. An enormous and thankless task that I suspect would be impossible, and even then you wouldn't catch divers who just go out with friends.
Not sure of accuracy, but:
http://www.dema.org/associations/1017/files/2007-Q1-4-CertificationCensus.ppt
http://www.dema.org/associations/1017/files/2007-Q1-4-CertificationCensus.ppt
mruseless
Contributor
sea nmf
Contributor
My first thought was that, of course it is increasing. How can it decrease? Once you are certified, you don't lose your status. Whether you should or not is a different discussion.
So the question is either 1) is the number of new certifications increasing yearly or, 2) Is the number of active divers increasing every year.
So the question is either 1) is the number of new certifications increasing yearly or, 2) Is the number of active divers increasing every year.
dpbishop
Contributor
I looked at another DEMA study & it should a population of 308,000 divers in the US based on customer lists from dive stores. That number is probably low.
Gilldiver
Contributor
Notice the peak in the 3rd quarter? People getting a cert on summer vacation?
As for active divers, if I remember right DEMA counts an active diver as one who does 5 dives a year.
As for how long they stay around, what I have seen since I first got my OW cert in 1979 is that about 50% drop out in a year, about 80% are gone by 5 years and by 10 years it is close to 98% or so. People age, get families, morgages, kids, even pick up Golf.
But the drop outs are a source of cheap equipment.
As for active divers, if I remember right DEMA counts an active diver as one who does 5 dives a year.
As for how long they stay around, what I have seen since I first got my OW cert in 1979 is that about 50% drop out in a year, about 80% are gone by 5 years and by 10 years it is close to 98% or so. People age, get families, morgages, kids, even pick up Golf.
But the drop outs are a source of cheap equipment.
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