PADI Snorkel Instructors typically earn around 30,000 per year, depending on their location and experience. Full-time recreational scuba diving instructors earn an average salary of 24,909.43, while tech diving instructors reach an annual income of 53,703.19. The income from teaching varies depending on the location and type of instruction.
The national average salary for a Scuba diving instructor is ₹7,46,646 in India. Instructors reported average rates of 60,000-84,000 AED (18,000-24,000 USD per year) in resorts with accommodation included. Rates may be slightly higher if access to accommodations is available.
A day’s worth of work for a scuba diving instructor can range from $100 to $1000 after taxes, cost of living, and other factors. Some instructors make as low as US500 monthly, while others can make US4000-US6000 monthly. Between salary and tips, the average instructor will earn 2000-3000 USD a month, depending on the shop they work for.
Cayman law requires a minimum of 9,006 annual salary for recreational scuba diving instructors, while tech diving instructors earn 29,914. However, this average number may vary depending on the location and the type of instruction.
As of July 20, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Scuba Instructor in the United States is 23.63 an hour. As a newbie instructor, the average salary for a Dive Instructor in the United States is 90,617 per year. As you build up experience and qualifications, the average salary for a Dive Instructor in the United States can vary significantly.
📹 Scuba Diving Instructor Salary – How much do scuba instructors make?
Scuba Diving Instructor Salary, is it enough money to live on? A Scuba Diving Instructor Job is one of the best careers you can get.
Where do Divemasters make the most money?
On average, scuba diving instructors in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and tropical Atlantic make the most money (with an annual salary of $34,375) while European dive instructors get the lowest salaries ($16,425).
A recreational scuba diving instructor (without tech diving credentials) with a full-time job in the dive industry earns, on average, $24,909 per year. But this worldwide average doesn’t necessarily apply to you. And you will find all the information you want on dive instructors’ salaries in this article.
The following data on dive instructors’ income per hour and per year comes from an extensive worldwide survey by the Business of Diving Institute. The survey was conducted in 2021 and included data for 2019 and 2020. In this article, we will refer to scuba diving instructors’ income during 2019 because it is a better representation of the usual life of a dive instructor. Dive instructors’ jobs and salaries were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Darcy Kieran is the author of Your Career and/or Life as a Scuba Diving Instructor: How to make a good living out of your passion for scuba diving.
What is the highest paid diving job?
Top Jobs in Scuba DivingUnderwater Photographer. Salary: $35,000 – $60,000.Golf Ball Diver. Salary: $36,000-55,000.Commercial Diving. Salary: $54,750 – $93,910.Marine Archaeologist. Salary: $39,000 – $72,000.Public Safety Diver. Salary: $39,000.
Top Jobs in Scuba Diving. So you’ve gotten your first diving certification and now you’re hooked. You’re bored of your current job and you’re looking for something more exciting, right? While it is possible to have a career in diving with only an open water certification, often times it takes more training to achieve professional status. Below, we describe a few careers in which you can dive for a living! What could be better?
Dive InstructorSalary: $31,000 – $50,000. Of course there’s the most obvious job of all… scuba instructor! This job sounds like the dreamiest one of all… You spend your days on dive boats and exploring the underwater world. You might even get to live in a beautiful tropical location if you’re one of the super lucky ones. Being a dive instructor comes with a lot of responsibility; you have to make sure that your students are using the proper techniques, including proper handling of underwater equipment and doing so safely. With that also comes the reward of introducing and guiding students into underwater discovery and awe. Overall, if you’re looking for a job that combines teaching and diving this might be the one for you.
Underwater PhotographerSalary: $35,000 – $60,000. Do you have a knack for photography? Love to dive? This might be the job for you. Underwater photographers take photos and videos of marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and caves. These photographers might work in the fashion and hospitality industries as well, photographing underwater models and resort advertisements. While the photographer’s main job might be shooting pictures, they also need to be well-versed in their editing skills, they also need to be able to adjust light, coloring, and staging challenges that shooting underwater brings.
How much do dive instructors make in the Cayman Islands?
Regional Salary Comparison Table for Scuba Diving Instructors:RegionAverage Salary Range (Per Year)Cayman Islands$40,000 – $60,000Australia$35,000 – $55,000Maldives$30,000 – $50,000Caribbean$25,000 – $45,000.
What is the highest paying diving job?
Top Jobs in Scuba DivingUnderwater Photographer. Salary: $35,000 – $60,000.Golf Ball Diver. Salary: $36,000-55,000.Commercial Diving. Salary: $54,750 – $93,910.Marine Archaeologist. Salary: $39,000 – $72,000.Public Safety Diver. Salary: $39,000.
Top Jobs in Scuba Diving. So you’ve gotten your first diving certification and now you’re hooked. You’re bored of your current job and you’re looking for something more exciting, right? While it is possible to have a career in diving with only an open water certification, often times it takes more training to achieve professional status. Below, we describe a few careers in which you can dive for a living! What could be better?
Dive InstructorSalary: $31,000 – $50,000. Of course there’s the most obvious job of all… scuba instructor! This job sounds like the dreamiest one of all… You spend your days on dive boats and exploring the underwater world. You might even get to live in a beautiful tropical location if you’re one of the super lucky ones. Being a dive instructor comes with a lot of responsibility; you have to make sure that your students are using the proper techniques, including proper handling of underwater equipment and doing so safely. With that also comes the reward of introducing and guiding students into underwater discovery and awe. Overall, if you’re looking for a job that combines teaching and diving this might be the one for you.
Underwater PhotographerSalary: $35,000 – $60,000. Do you have a knack for photography? Love to dive? This might be the job for you. Underwater photographers take photos and videos of marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and caves. These photographers might work in the fashion and hospitality industries as well, photographing underwater models and resort advertisements. While the photographer’s main job might be shooting pictures, they also need to be well-versed in their editing skills, they also need to be able to adjust light, coloring, and staging challenges that shooting underwater brings.
What is the salary of a sea diver?
The average pay for a Scuba Diver is INR 690,219 a year and INR 332 an hour in India. The average salary range for a Scuba Diver is between INR 499,028 and INR 828,262.
The average pay for a Scuba Diver is INR 690,791 a year and INR 332 an hour in India. The average salary range for a Scuba Diver is between INR 499,442 and INR 828,950. This compensation analysis is based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in India.
ERI’scompensation dataare based onsalary surveysconducted and researched by ERI. Cost of labordata in the Assessor Series are based on actual housing sales data from commercially available sources, plus rental rates, gasoline prices, consumables, medical care premium costs, property taxes, effective income tax rates, etc.
Find actuarial salary survey data and benchmark salary and pay.
Is it hard to be a scuba instructor?
Whatever Floats Your Boat. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of training more than 1,500 scuba instructors. So I can tell you with full authority that being a scuba instructor can be one of those jobs you enjoy doing each and every day of your life. But believe it or not, fun just isn’t enough, because after awhile, even having fun can get old. (Trust me, it’s true.) What has continued to motivate me over the years more than even the fun, is the challenge. What other activity allows a teacher to deal in subjects as diverse as physics, physiology, marine science, mechanics, physical education, psychology and even public relations? You also have to have some pretty good counseling skills. Scuba instructors bring a whole new meaning to the term “jack-of-all-trades.” Our job believe it or not is at times tough, demanding and often unappreciated, but it’s never boring.
Still another reason that I was drawn to the profession is the opportunity for travel. I was reminded of this recently when I received the third renewal of my passport. Leafing through my old passports, I noticed stamps and visas from dozens of countries in the Caribbean, Middle East, Asia, and Pacific. I did more than 90 percent of those trips because of my career, and I paid for very few of them personally. Not a bad feat for someone who, as a kid, didn’t even know anyone who had a passport. My experience is anything but unusual. I’ve known colleagues who make my travel exploits look like I never left home. These are folks who’ve spent their entire lives as “travelers,” stopping to work only when the funds got low. And with a scuba instructor’s qualification, they never had a problem getting a job.
Of course, there are two sides to every story, so what’s the reality of becoming a scuba instructor? Any seasoned dive professional who has been in a management role can tell you that the diving industry is really no different from any other business. No doubt, there are lots of people out there who hold instructor ratings and would love to work in a resort. Still, demand typically exceeds supply. Why this is so is the first sobering reality of life in the dive business. Unfortunately, for many who have the dream, their perception is nowhere close to reality. Often, their idea of working in a resort means little more than getting a paycheck for being on vacation, and that’s no more the case in diving than it is in any job. As a result, while there are hordes of folks looking to “work in paradise,” when the rubber meets the road, there are never enough people with the right attitude and qualifications to meet the employment demand.
Do divers make good money?
And sixty three thousand and your local currency. But it doesn’t really represent the investment. That you’ve made to get the ticket. And the risk that you’re taking to do the work subsea.
How much do scuba instructors make in Hawaii?
As of Jul 20, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Scuba Instructor in Hawaii is $22.39 an hour. While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $46.45 and as low as $13.74, the majority of Scuba Instructor salaries currently range between $15.96 (25th percentile) to $24.95 (75th percentile) in Hawaii.
How much do Royal Caribbean divers make?
How much does a Diver make at Royal Caribbean group in the United States?. The estimated average pay for Diver at this company in the United States is $43,971 per year, which is 14% below the national average.
Disclaimer. Indeed estimates the pay amounts by analyzing the available public or private data and pay grades across nearby locations, similar companies, reviews, resumes, similar roles and job details. The pay estimate shown may not be endorsed by the employer.
These figures are given to the Indeed users for the purpose of generalized comparison only. Minimum wage may differ by jurisdiction and you should consult the employer for actual salary figures.
What is the highest paying ocean job?
High Paying Maritime JobsBoat Pilot. Salary range: $100,000-$230,000 per year. … Ship Pilot. Salary range: $173,500-$209,500 per year. … First Officer. Salary range: $84,500-$206,000 per year. … Port Engineer. Salary range: $92,500-$187,000 per year. … Ferry Pilot. … Ship Engineer. … Tugboat Captain. … Port Captain.
📹 Money and Scuba: Diving Economics From Three Perspectives
Three weird things happened this last week, all tied to money and diving. Let’s talk about the economics of scuba diving.
It was a turning point in my diving when I discovered Diver’s Ready and then started training with you. It opened my eyes to good training (and I willingly opened my wallet) and learned a valuable lesson: You get what you pay for. Since then, I have invested in myself with other top tier instruction (also not cheap) and guess what, my confidence and skills as a diver have been remarkably impacted. Looking forward to Advanced Wreck, bud!
Hey James, love the show, great content. I watch from the UK and this was a great article. Since I assume your audience is global, it would be worth mentioning the club structure we have in the UK ie. BSAC. It’s a great way of introducing younger and less financially able people to the sport of diving with training paths to high levels of recreational diving qualifications and beyond!
I think it’s logical for the student to presume that a diving course is a diving course. So if that student sees one offered for $400 and one for $300, the question is not “Why is left out in the $300 course that’s in the $400 course?”, it’s “Why are you charging $100 more than the other guy for the same thing?” It’s up to the instructor charging more to explain why his course is so much more expensive. I agree with your explanations, but it’s not something you can assume an upcoming diver to know. Your course description should explain the price of your course if it’s substantially higher than competing courses.
As a new instructor I am learning the ropes with a Dive shop. I am adding more then the minimum to my teachings, (IE: DSMB deployment at depth, Gear, Better weighting, good boyoncy etc.) discussing saftey etc. Since I have a full time carrer in another industry I am happy (at this time) to learn from other instructors. After I beleive I have the experience to be a good instructor then I will venture out, build my brand and become more of a “Private” instructor teaching saftey, skills etc so I do not see divers running on reefs in Cozumel. (Yes, taking fins off, article and actully running in boots on the reef) Thanks James for all the great content.
As a recently certified OW diver, I looked at all 3 of my local dive shops before picking one for training. The cost differential didn’t factor into which I chose. I chose the one that I felt most comfortable with and happened to be closest to my house. Their policy of if someone signs up for a course on a certain date, you get the course regardless of whether anyone else signs up also impressed me. I signed up and I guess because the course started the week after (Daytona’s) Bike week, I was the only student and got private lessons. Diving is expensive but addicting.
Excellent explanation James!!! I wish I had known you back when I was becoming an open water scuba diver. Now a Master Diver, I’ve seen a lot of what you’re describing here. Sad state of our diving community. Please keep cranking out these informative expos’e of how things really are and hopefully as more of us wake up to what’s really happening, our hobby/careers in diving will change for the better. Thank you for your service to the diving community!
I am an instructor for 3 years now. And I am totally with you. Creating safe and experienced divers. I am lucky in the center I work, that many divers come back to learn more and do a career from Open Water to Divemaster or even Instructor. So we have an eye on them and teach them every time, they are with us to become better.
James,As Instructor I myself train beyond the standards.I choose this and my return student for more training reflects this.I know Instructors that have put students in dive chambers and just push out numbers .I would never become one if these Instructors and I agree you want to receive quality Instructor time there is a cost involved.Keep up the good work Thanks Mark.
I absolutely love that you charge more money for better quality dive training. I got PADI certified last year and I was absolutely terrified, but my husband had gotten certified the previous year, loved it so much and really wanted it to be something we could do together — I ended up having to pay extra for an additional night one-on-one in the pool with the instructor before going to take my tests. Just having that ONE night helped me so much. I wouldn’t have passed otherwise.
Right on point! I am retired from a global company with technical products. We NEVER sold on price! We sold on quality and support. I used to tell the distributors I was training, that if they went into a pitch meeting with nothing but price, they’ve already lost. Not that price is unimportant, but if that’s all you have to beat the competition, you are in big trouble. I want to have customers who buy because they know they are getting top tier products, and I will do everything in my power to help them be successful.
Your section on instructor economics blew my mind, as someone who fell victim to the utter circus of rotating new-instructor-to-dropout, this resonates with me so much, and is something I suspected was happening all along for a few years after. As someone passionate about sharing knowledge of things I care about I always figured I would become an instructor, but as so many find out, couldn’t sustain the lifestyle. It’s a real shame that the mainstream way of building a career in this industry is unsustainable for the vast majority. There are ways around this, such as mentorship schemes like the one you mentioned which sound fantastic, hats off to you! However it seems that this is the minority of cases… Great article as always, thank you for speaking up about a topic that is rarely discussed in the open.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! As an instructor I ask prospective students, who are looking for the cheapest price, if they want to be qualified or just certified. I do not want to certify students; I want them to be qualified. Therefore, I am not the cheapest nor the quickest instructor in regards to any training.
When I did my open water last year I had a look at what I was spending and how much I got. When you look at the pool sessions, open water dives and the cost of equipment you borrow I reached the conclusion it was exceptional value for money. I’m not convinced anyone is making much from diving (outside of maybe Mares or Suunto), they’re doing it for the love of the sport. I feel it’s important that we keep supporting the industry and getting more people into diving as it’s for our benefit too. It’s expensive compared to running or tennis. But then, no one dies from tennis because they didn’t get their racquet serviced.
I totally agree. It’s true; these “cheap-and-fast McDive” centers and instructors (I didn’t invent this term, but I love it!) drive prices down. But it’s in us to offer the services we believe customers deserve and need. Going above and beyond is not just a market differentiator for our offer but also a necessity due to the nature of our sport.
I got lucky when I got certified, my instructor I met through my neighbor had dived since the 70s, he came to my pool with all the gear and let me make payments, he also sold me most of my 1st time gear(had to deal with a oversized BCD for 150 dives but it was brand new), I went through OW and Advanced pretty quick, I was also living in Lauderdale by the Sea and had shore diving and we did lots of deep wrecks, I got to dive with my instructor well after my courses were done and all the experienced divers around me, I still dive with him sometimes all these years later. It was way cheaper back then for courses and equipment, I’m a Dive Master but have never worked in the industry, that may change before I get too old to do it.
James, Great topic. I have been a pro since 1984 (SSI) and 1992 (TDI/SDI). For the most part, I have been a part time Instructor in Colorado USA. I did manage a dive shop for 3 years (the owner was using me as bait to sell it from under me – another long story). As I was listening to your article – I was thinking that I have seen around 125 – 150 instructors and many of them stayed teaching on average 6 years. The current shop that I am at we have around 35 instructors we have a group of about 15 instructors with 20+years and 20 instructor at the below 5 -7 years. The fees I have to pay (dues, insurance, Dan membership, other certifications (equipment service, PCI, …. ) is about $2000/year. For me an average set of gear runs about $4000 – 5000. no tec gear. I am in the process of rebuilding my tech gear I expect to pay around 10,000 + (not rebreather) not including getting my certs back – going slow.
Not thinking too hard about it (or looking it up), I would guess your kit cost around 3000 +/- 250 USD if bought new right now. 800-1100 regs 600-800 bcd 180 fins 120 mask 250 light 120 dSMB/reel 400 wetsuit 150 booties 150 wetnotes/whatever is in that pouch Edit….forgot the Perdix….add 1000 so around 4000 USD Second edit after the article….I was not expecting to be that close on the aggregate cost
James, good article with a lot of valuable content. Sorry I’m six months late to watch this, life gets busy. Most of the economics are pretty accurate and certainly you have made a solid point that people need to know their worth and charge for it. You also make a valid, and well proven, point cost equates to quality…most of the time. At the end of the day, it is each individual’s decision – what kind of customer do you want and what kind of customer do you want to be. That decision does have a ripple effect on the rest of the industry. A marketing slogan I stole from Shoei (helmet manufacture) “if you have a $99 head, buy a $99 helmet”. I would like to know where you got your “agency” data? You grouped 200+ agencies into one set of initial and annual dollar figures, that’s the bit that is not accurate. At least from my perspective. Keep putting out the great articles, I enjoy perusal them!
Hi James, I totally agree your comments and concerns regarding the quality of OW instruction in today’s cut throat market. I’ve only been diving since 2004 and when I reflect upon the training methodology used to gain certification, I find it to have been over-priced and lacking in instructor quality and quantity of knowledge gained for OW certification. I’ll step up to be corrected if my thoughts on restructuring OW certification are ridiculous and fanciful. OW Certification should 1. include repetition, repetition and repetition by teaching the basics of diving ie equipment preparation – gear on gear off in and out of a pool or shallow water, basic safety skills to regain your dislodged regulator and/or mask and/or fin after breaking a strap, what is buoyancy and trim. How to prepare and obtain perfect buoyancy and trim. Teaching the in water basics repetitively, in conjunction with pre and/or after dive session classroom sessions to gain an understanding of Boyles Law, Archimedes Theory, the law of thirds, safety stops, etc to understand the practical application of knowledge through repetition 2. Have a minimum of 10 mixed OW dives ie shore dives, boat dives and jump water entry from a jetty or similar elevated platform at depths to say 20m max with 3 mins/5m safety stops (2-3 days) 3. Nitrox or EAN theoretical and practical training in the benefits of mixed gas diving with a minimum 15 dives (3-5 days) to 30m with the 3 min/5m safety stops, and 4. Diver Rescue & Navigation including classroom theory (CPR & 1st Responder training) and repetitive in-water practical scenarios including navigation and SMB deployment which could be red/orange for emergency and green/yellow for diver safety stop and boat rendezvous.
I understand that we are going through tough times. None saying that my wife and I agree with you James. People will always make a way for what they want. Here’s to the email guy. Maybe he should have said if I gave you 2/3 down can we work out a payment plan. Some people will never learn. Keep the great content coming. Someday I would like to dive with you Dive safe y’all Will 12:11
I would happily pay a fair amount for an instructor that I click with and is actually invested in my training being meaningful and adjusts the training to my personal needs and skill level. Throw in some good nuggets of knowledge and make the training fun and all inclusive, as in just be up front with what is and is not included and not only will I leave a good tip, I’ll sing your praises and send more people your way!
This was my mindset as a brand new OW student: dive shop X charges $300 for the entire OW course, dive shop Y charges $400. I knew nothing about scuba and my only information was the price and the card that I would get at the end; so the “product” in my mind was that card, and if it’s the same in either case, then I should go with the cheaper shop. Obviously it was ignorance (and some stupidity) on my part. I still would’ve preferred if the $400 dive shop explained to me about the safety aspect, the skills involved, importance of a good instructor etc., I probably would’ve gone with them instead.
My dive shop offered a small discount for being around the first of March which is the off season. My dive buddy and I work together and did our research plus homework and had our instructor to comment on what we found. We really put our hearts into learning the safest approach to diving. It was the divers ready article on ” Nitrox is for everybody ” that prompted us to pay the extra for the course. Since our certification, we have noticed some bad habits from other divers. Having a QUALITY dive instructor for a safety net was well worth the money as my instructor was far from a minimalist. The point is, If I’m paying quality money for an instructor then I will go the extra mile to do my part to pick his brain.
Totally like your approach re training and pricing. Not to push the prices down !!! TOP !!! Anyhow – Why does all the customers want to pay less and get cheap prices, but receive high quality? this is not in a balanced relation. But its a big problem in this industry. dive equipment costs a lot of money, and instructors and guides, required such a high quality eduction which costs a lot of money too, but dive centers does not want to pay much salary, and as instructor one has to have all the equipment themself, which is fair enough, but no fair salaries are paid in the diving industry, although as an instructor one has to take full responsibility, has to have a good dive insurance, and take care of human lives to the highest extend and provide safety, but its not reflected in the salary nor the diving fees. This industry needs to be cleaned up in relation to pricing !!! for the service we all provide as Instructor. I mean even to become better qualified as an instructor it does cost a lot of money. It’s not easy to live a normal decent life on diving industry jobs.
As a recent graduate of James’ Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures course, I can assure anyone contemplating signing up for any of his courses that with James you get WAY more than you are paying for. Yes, it costs money, but it is without question the best value-for-training program I have received (and I have professional dive certifications from three of the largest certification agencies). If you want to engage one-on-one with a knowledgable, experienced, and genuinely FUN professional, save up your money and get on James’ schedule. I am a FAR better diver and dive professional for having spent the time with James.
Hey James, definitely not an instructor BUT, earned my C-Card back when dinosaurs roamed the planet. Firstly nothing has changed since aforementioned dinosaur experience – it’s still a race to the bottom, and to place it in context my C-Card was validated in 1987 and it cost me $299 to complete the Open Water course (of a now defunct agency) and today in 2023 find LDS’s who offer courses at $450 and less (like that”s half the inflation rate). Admittedly my dive course comprised of 10 dives of which 6 had to be open water greater that 10 metres and my ‘school time’ was about 30 hours over about 10 weeks, so I still dive with my FAUI C-Card which draws laughs from Instructor Candidates – but I can still run rings around them when it comes to understanding Boyle’s, Charles’s and Guy Lussac’s laws. I’ve never been bent (touch wood), I’ve never run out of air, I’ve never exceeded my no deco limits (without a computer) and while my gas consumption isn’t as sharp as it used to be, I still think I’m safer than 50% of divers. One day I’d love to drop by, do some awesome dives and then relax with a quiet ale, pale ale or lager. Keep up the good and honest work.
You are not wrong, but one thing you haven’t thought trough, is that the certifying agencies prefer the recurring fees over the newer instructors. The logic behind it is there is barely any cost to keep them as opposed to certifying new instructors. The logic behind recurring fees, is to get money for not much work. When you certify new instructors, the whole company structure is used. There is a IE that needs to travel, stay in hotels, eat, and entertain. It also involves the complete corporate infrastructure and other employees. Something a recurring fee does not use much. so the reality is, the recurring fee has a much higher net value or profit.
James made a article a while back about picking an instructor. I was blessed and found an incredible dive shop where I live in North Texas. Most things I do through them (including my DM program). However, for Tech Diving I am doing all that through James. Will it cost me more, absolutely. Is it worth it for the one on one instruction? Hell yes. Each person has to decide what’s right for them in an instructor/ mentor. Watch that article. Great tip in there. James, if you can is there a way to link that article in the description of this one? Might be helpful for some. See you in two weeks man! And keep the weather good this time! 🤣
It’s all relative. SCUBA seems more expensive than rock climbing, kayaking, skiing, etc., but less expensive than flying, boating, etc. I’ve talked to many highly educated and skilled SCUBA divers and they routinely say that choosing an instructor is much more important than specific agency affiliation (though many seem to prefer SDI/TDI). I got into SCUBA for fun and to see cool stuff and locales. It does seem like a lot of new instructors are being churned out, with a fair amount of turnover, and generally it seems like a fairly low-paying job similar to other recreational jobs.
I’ve often wondered if dive gear is priced high due to the percentage rate of people willing to take it up and stick with it resulting in the brands needing to make their money off a smaller number of people. But if gear was cheaper would the amount of people taking diving up increase 🤔. I imagine there is a high profit margin on dive gear compared to cost of manufacture
My guess on the price of your equipment setup was a little over double what it really was. Scuba always seemed cost prohibitive to me but this article is actually encouraging, I can reasonably save up $5,000. I’m trying to figure out the logistics of being able to train. I live on an island in the US pacific north west with many popular diving spots all around me, but the only real instructor here doesn’t have a great reputation, so, although I live 10 minutes from great diving locations, I’m not getting in properly untrained and that’ll probably require time off work (which is impossible) and blah. Some day.
You should talk about how a lot of dive shops will not rent tanks and weights to properly certified divers without them paying for the dm to lead you. Dive shops over regulate padi & ssi certification to scam the divers out of money they don’t want to spend & just want to do their own thing without the pricy dm to lead them
I totally agree with your perspective, when people complain about cost, my attitude is, just go do something else. If you cannot afford scuba diving, try snorkeling. I REALLY enjoy snorkeling. I find it so relaxing and fun, once I get going I don’t want to stop. As far as ‘discount’ intrucstion schools, that is why for things that relate to public safety you need laws and regulatory governing bodies to regulate the market providers, so they have to set a minimum standard (including pricing, to discourage discount services).
Got cerftified when i was about 15 yrs old, and had a blast, very wonderful experience private lesson, came out super confident but you are right, nowadays its crazy, seems like you cant get a proper school, the good one all shut down because of covid or they got crushed by the cheap ass competition that offers rediculously short and fast amd cheap quality-less training ! Its just about pumping students and it makes me cringe about our beautiful sport 😞
I recently did a refresher and then did fun dives. They had three instructors in these diving centres. They were excellent. They had a lot of experience and also had a charming way of correcting all fund divers and telling them what they could do better and how. What I miss, however, as in every other dive centre. They don’t have a public name, they don’t exist. They are not presented on the website with their experience. Their competences have zero value. It doesn’t matter at all. I don’t know of any other job where competence is not honoured. I have to mention that this was in a tourist destination. Why not advertise with experienced instructors? Then you might not have to do all the price dumping.
I mean, I do agree with dive training needing to be high quality, but economics is also a thing. and sure lowering the price will most often lower what’s included it, full agree as well. But for most peeps: if 2 shops offer the same service (on paper) for a different price, it’s common sense to go for the cheaper one. unless you justify why your price is higher, it might just be like a fashion thing like “we’re {insert generic fashion brand} so you’ll have to pay us 1K extra just for the prestige we bring”. which is something a lot of people don’t care about. so yeah, you shouldn’t need to, but having a good explanation that justifies why your training is more expensive is a big thing. If you show 2 identical looking items and just tell peeps that one is 100bucks more expensive, and they can’t see why, then obvi they’re going for the cheaper one. sure, some people would pay extra cause ‘the pope spit on it’ or ‘elvis looked at it’, but a lot of peeps won’t. So as far as we know, the more expensive dive shop is charging extra cause it’s built around a toilet where jacques cousteau once had a massive sh*t, but that doesn’t make the training any better.
😎👍🤿! Wow a very good and clear explanation of the dive instructor industry! I see why some people who are retired with a good amount of diving experience got into being a instructor. Not just something to do but rather share their experience and knowledge to others! Understanding younger drivers can’t afford at the current income especially if they have a family. I know this is not everywhere and just a part of some. But it gives me more respect for those who teach with the right mindset and heath!
I’ve made diving a proper career in a local dive center with minimal tourism and therefore local divers.. I learnt to dive at 12, before you could at that age. We acquired the dive center when I was 14 as a family business and completed me OW at 15. Started working full-time at 16, DM as soon as I was 18 and OWSI that same year. Technician and Adv Nitrox instructor in my early 20’s. I took over the running of the center in my early 30’s and became a Tmx instructor before taking over ownership in my mid 30’s. I’ve just turned 40 and i’m 9 months post heart attack and unable to work or do much else. Basically I’ve given my life to this industry 7 days a week, literally 365 days a year. For my trouble, i earnt about 1/2 minimum wage for working 2x – 3x the hours. In an effort to survive, i’ve been selling stock on ebay. Just today i’ve had one guy claim that the new liftbag i sold him has a 2″ cut in the top and another that offered 25% of the listed price and then sent me an abusive message when I declined it! The price is already good as i’m selling at a discount to move the stock working on pre-covid prices, which have seen a roughly 20% increase. The industry needs to change, or there likely won’t be much of one.
I’ve been an instructor for just over a year. The best job I’ve had so far didn’t involve teaching at all-it was guiding snorkelling tours but they wanted dive instructors for their experience and comfort in the water. The pay was good and the hours and conditions weren’t total bullshit. I’m currently working for a fast food-style training centre where the OW course lasts 2 days and costs under US$200. We are actively discouraged from taking over 90 minutes to conduct the confined water session and I have colleagues who ‘finish’ their sessions in 30-40 mins; nowhere near long enough to teach people skills with mastery. I try to add better value and then get complaints from my colleagues for taking too long and earfuls from my managers for wasting time. The conditions are alright and the pay is ok (it’s a first-world country with employment laws) but I know that I am not training people to the standard that I can train with sufficient time and attention. The whole business model is built around sucking people in with a cheap price and then selling them a package to get up to instructor or Divemaster without any care as to whether they’re good divers or would make good dive professionals. My main fear is, however, that if I leave this job and go somewhere where more time is taken and attention paid, the salary and working conditions are likely to be way worse. The dive instructor ‘lifestyle’ is appealing but at the same time in those places where it exists, it is almost impossible to save for the future-a house, a car, a family etc.
I’m a starving student. One dive in the pool out of 6 months. I have found dives at really reasonably priced places in some European countries. For amazing quality, in English, and ability check regulations. (EU). Obviously I shop around, there’s poor quality everywhere. I feel like an entitled foreigner.
I think the catch 22 for the basic training series (OW ->Rescue) is that it’s hard to tell quality from norm from trash as someone entering the sport and it’s hard to tell how much quality from norm really matters. If an open water course costs $300 more than the standard, for example, how can someone new tell that it’s worth $300 more? Furthermore, is the higher quality worth the cost? This is like cattle boat dive companies. I can dive with one of the Miami cattle boat companies for $158 (2 tank, shallow water, with BCD and reg rental with group guide). I can drive down to Key Largo and the McDonalds of diving (the one you had a bad drift dive experience with), get the same deal for $129, except have more options on locations since they have more boats. Is Miami cattle car worth $30 more than Key Largo cattle company? Now once people start getting more towards the tec side from the basic open water side, quality becomes a much higher consideration in my mind.
I was an instructor for 15 years and am now 40 years as a certified diver. Yeah, this sport is expensive. It is an equipment intensive sport, and you don’t want to go cheap as your life depends on it. You need proper training as well for the type(s) of diving you want to do. And when you decide to go to the professional ranks it’s going to cost. And if you are like me you add in your other expensive hobby, photography, and then were are talking serious investment. Diving is about having a passion to be underwater and being in nature. So in order to participate on a regular basis you’re going to be spending money. But it can all be worth it. As the joke goes, “How do you make a million dollars in the dive industry, invest two million.” As I said, it is worth it to me. I don’t have to have the most expensive equipment (dive gear or camera gear), but I want solid reliable equipment that is going to last for a while of use. So sometimes you spend more than you want to, but the return over time is worth it.
You talk about volume turnover of instructors but not volume or economics of students. That would be interesting; your way vs. group instruction…which, dare I say, is the way most of us learned. I’ve DM’d for a well established (30 years) shop in the Boston area for 5 years …and Im the new guy. Most of our instructors are 10 and 20 year vets. We certify a LOT of divers but there is no way we could do that by turning over instructors all the time. That would create chaos. Im not aware of any other shop in the area that does that either.
I think you should do a follow up.on this article I’m off to Turkey and was planning on a recreational dive the resort I’m going to has 3 dive centers according to Google but it prob has many more in the UK I pay around £30 a dive at local dive center more if it more than 15 miles offshore now I have contacted the 3 dive centers and the cost vary wildly even though they are all offering the same thing £160 £120 and £50 for 2 dives thinking they prob price high knowing you’ll likely knock them down I tried negotiating a better price got them down to £120 £100 and £50 considering I pay £30 for a dive in UK I would expect turkey to be around £60 or slightly cheaper for two dives as the wages are less in Turkey
I’ve never understood this race to the bottom James. Any sane person should want the best training possible and I would always prefer to pay for that level of training where you feel safe and happy and you get the most out of what you are learning. Learning with a good quality experienced instructor is actually better value pound for pound. Why would you scrimp on your training and put your life at risk !
According to PADI Web site, they issue about one million certifications a year. They also say there are roughly 165,000 dive professionals. That is roughly 6 certifications a year per dive professional. Do the math, most instructors do not make fees, gear costs and other costs, let alone make a wage.
Hello, I’m interested in becoming a dive instructor and I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to do this-it looks like you have things figured out pretty good. I got my PADI Openwater and everything you discuss here rings true, any advice for someone just graduating and wanting to make this a career?
When I go to the doctor for my health care I never pick the cheapest or least experienced, NOPE I could care less what it cost, I want the older person who has seen it all and knows what he or she is doing!! Afterall, almost everything we buy for scuba diving is for life support right? And the instructor is there to teach how to stay alive and safe underwater right?
Curious to know your thoughts on where the casual or part time dive instructor fits in. Many of us happily teach on the side of a more lucrative day job for little or no payment simply because we love the sport and are passionate about providing quality instruction. Indeed, many of the best instructors and DMs I have encountered have been volunteers. However, working for free undoubtedly has the potential to facilitate a race to the bottom from more career oriented colleagues. Curious to know whether you think these practices help or hinder the quality of instruction in the industry overall.
My personal opinion is recreational budget training has been the biggest issue with the industry. Weed out terrible instructors, the. Dryer instructors provide a better base to all future training and at minimum proper weight and trim (rant). That’s worth both charging more for and paying more for. Price doesn’t always convert easily to value. I wish more of my fellow divers looked at dove training as a chance to improve their skills, and IF you qualify you just happen to get a c-card, but that’s not the end goal. Growth is why we should train. If you’re not ready pay for more training, or go home and dive more, and come back later. Shops that have hidden costs like it’s a cellphone plan need pack sand. I just had a conversation with my tec instructor about his fees he has to pay, and it was pretty outrageous. He deserves to get paid well for his knowledge, cover expenses, and heaven forbid make a profit.
Tracking completely on the training. Where I have an issue is some of the gear. I have another hobby where you know darn well that if someone puts the word “tactical” in the name of the product and paints it black, the cost goes up 100%. Scuba is the same way. I’m looking right at you Apeks. There is no way in the world that the production cost of their finger spools is anywhere near the $120 they are charging for them. I got the same aluminum spool from DGX for $40, and the quality and functionality were just as good. Those products where a “race to the reasonable” and not the bottom is possible could help the industry out by making the hobby more affordable and increase the number of divers buying gear.
Off-topic a bit, but a bit relative. It really irritates me when, on my neighborhood FB page, someone posts about the need for a skilled trade to come fix their broken house and they throw in “won’t break the bank”. ie; “anyone know of a carpenter that won’t break the bank”🙄. Really? Would THEY cheapen themselves in order to not break a stranger’s bank? Do they ask the same for a dentist or doctor? Ugh🤦♂️. If you do not want your bank broken, don’t call me y’all. I fully understand, James. And the gall to call you out on it🤦♂️.
You can spend as little or as much as you want. If you are a once in a while diver you can rent stuff . If you want to get into more advanced diving prepare to reach in the pocket. You can get the cheap brain surgeon or you can pay for quality. You don’t always get what you pay for but you will know when you didn’t get what you wanted
Diving agencies are just pyramid schemes. The only people who make money are the people who sit in the agency headquarters demanding every December for membership fees or hard sell some stupid specialty courses. I’ve worked in the industry as diving technician which i found really satisfying but sadly the money isn’t great especially these days. but its a tough life as a instructor trying to make a living. Instructing really suits people in their 50s who have been luckily enough to retire early and want to live abroad and earn a bit of beer money and live on the beach. a popular saying i hear alot is “if you want to earn small fortune in diving start with a big fortune”.
For any independent instructor I’d say Base your prices on what shops locally are charging. I found trying to give people a break because I didn’t have a lot of overhead didn’t matter. No one bit on a lower price. So, I charge what everybody else does now. I give some leeway to broke ass college students but that’s it. I also give people all in pricing. Training, fills, entry fees, charter fees. Fortunately this is not my full time job becuse if it was what I was living on without retail I’d have two jobs.
You’re the absolute worst….at expressing the truth. Your page isn’t for the faint at heart but you explain things well. You don’t make things easy, you do give all angles which is interesting but you certainly have that mosquito tendency. I don’t blame you. I’m with you James and I’ve stayed with techwise as you have recently during RF4. I just wonder why you’re scaring away so many people. Leave that to the bugs. To me money is no issue so I don’t get scared at a cert. I’m actually so confused by your article. Cheers, Gregory.chevalier
Let me tell you the truth. I also was a “potential student ‘, James, you are overpriced. You can sugarcoat it, validate it, and try to explain away why you think you need to charge more money for your training but you’re still overpriced, still. I’ll be glad to tell you why. I took a look at your pricing for your tech diving courses first. I had no idea what prices should be, so I had no standard to compare to. I looked at John Chatterton’s pricing, and his pricing was considerably less. Then I thought, why would James Knowbody have much more expensive courses than someone with much more tech and wreck experience to offer, in addition to the actual coursework. Not to mention Chatterton has the brand and name. Chatterton, now has stopped teaching, so to add to AN/DP and Adv. Wreck certs, I received from John, I started looking again because I wanted to get certified Normoxic Trimix. I actually looked at your prices again and was put off again by your high prices. I then called and asked John who would he recommend to get Normoxic Trimix course? He told me the name of an instructor is up in Pensacola. This instructor is also much less expensive than you and is a top-notch instructor. Plus, we have the Oriskany and other great wrecks to penetrate there. The course I did was an Adv. Wreck/Normoxic Trimix. I already had my Adv. Wreck cert but, and with an open mind I learned even more by taking it twice. Anyway James, yes you are overpriced.
Oh James, you really know how to open up a can of worms. 🪱. As a newer diver, you shed the flood light on a darker side of dive shop economics, that I had only begun to suspect. For me, visiting the same shop one year later, the question was, “Where is the instructor I dove with last year?” The answer I got was, “well today, you’ll be diving with three newly certified dive instructors.” Which, went smoothly, but left my original question unanswered. Keep up the good work! Be safe and dive READY!