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Diver, Professional & Instructor

Types of Degrees Diver, Professional & Instructor Majors Are Earning

Those studying Diver, Professional & Instructor have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	298
Associate’s Degree	4
Master’s Degree	237

What Diver, Professional & Instructor Majors Need to Know

Studies in Diver, Professional & Instructor develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Diver, Professional & Instructor emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Physics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Diver, Professional & Instructor program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Diver, Professional & Instructor careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Control Precision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing General Physical Activities	4.4 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Diver, Professional & Instructor professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Diving logbook software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Diving table software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Remote operated vehicle ROV dive log software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Dynamic positioning DP software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates include:

• Diver
• Hard Hat Diver
• Tender
• Non Destructive Testing Under Water Welder (NDT U/W Welder)
• Under Water Assistant (U/W Assistant)
• Submarine Diver
• Aquarium Diver
• Commercial Diver
• Deep Sea Diver
• Navy Diver
• Underwater Welder
• Salvage Diver
• Route Diver
• Dive Tender
• Divemaster

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	72.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	11.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	7.7%
Bachelor’s degree	5.0%
Some college courses	3.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Diver, Professional & Instructor?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 94.2% of Diver, Professional & Instructor degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	31	5.8%
Men	508	94.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	363	67.3%
Asian	6	1.1%
Hispanic or Latino	73	13.5%
Black or African American	27	5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	41	7.6%
Race Unknown	16	3.0%
International Students	2	0.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Diver, Professional & Instructor Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,096
4 years	$58,110
5 years	$66,829

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $66,829 — roughly 21% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Diver, Professional & Instructor Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Diver, Professional & Instructor graduates earn a median of $58,110 four years after completion — roughly 53% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Marine Transportation	1,158
Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer	561
Marine Transportation, Other	58
Commercial Fishing	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.