All About Commercial Divers
Job Description & Duties 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.
A Day in the Life of a Commercial Diver
- Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges.
- Perform offshore oil or gas exploration or extraction duties, such as conducting underwater surveys or repairing and maintaining drilling rigs or platforms.
- Take test samples or photographs to assess the condition of vessels or structures.
- Obtain information about diving tasks and environmental conditions.
- Repair ships, bridge foundations, or other structures below the water line, using caulk, bolts, and hand tools.
- Operate underwater video, sonar, recording, or related equipment to investigate underwater structures or marine life.
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Things a Commercial Diver Should Know How to Do
Commercial Divers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Other Commercial Diver Job Titles
- Tender
- Plongeur
- Divemaster
- Skin Diver
- Diving Supervisor
Is There Going to be Demand for Commercial Divers?
There were about 4,100 jobs for Commercial Diver in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 400 new jobs for Commercial Diver by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 400 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Commercial Diver are Alaska, Missouri, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, New Jersey, or Alabama. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Commercial Diver Average Salary
Commercial Divers make between $30,810 and $108,170 a year.

Commercial Divers who work in Alaska, New Jersey, or Alabama, make the highest salaries.
How much do Commercial Divers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $56,410 |
Alaska | $86,600 |
California | $70,540 |
Connecticut | $72,400 |
Florida | $43,700 |
Indiana | $65,860 |
Louisiana | $46,720 |
Maryland | $59,710 |
Michigan | $53,590 |
Missouri | $38,340 |
New Hampshire | $75,500 |
New Jersey | $77,080 |
New York | $68,210 |
North Carolina | $38,430 |
Ohio | $36,270 |
South Carolina | $31,270 |
Tennessee | $41,960 |
Texas | $50,130 |
Virginia | $50,950 |
Washington | $84,480 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Commercial Divers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Commercial Divers may use on a daily basis:
- Web browser software
How to Become a Commercial Diver
Education needed to be a Commercial Diver:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Commercial Divers Work

Commercial Divers work in the following industries:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Career changers with experience as a Commercial Diver sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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