Commercial Divers
Work below surface of water, using surface-supplied air or scuba equipment 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.
Also called: Aquarium Diver, Area Commercial Diver, Certified Diver, Deep Sea Diver, Dive Tender, Divemaster
Median pay
$72,990
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$43,330 – $157,790
People employed
3,450
Holland code
RIC
Realistic · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 2.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 3.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 4.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
- 5.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 6.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
The hard parts
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Commercial Divers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (19 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What commercial divers do
- 01Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges.
- 02Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.
- 03Communicate with workers on the surface while underwater, using signal lines or telephones.
- 04Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits.
- 05Inspect and test docks, ships, buoyage systems, plant intakes or outflows, or underwater pipelines, cables, or sewers, using closed circuit television, still photography, and testing equipment.
- 06Obtain information about diving tasks and environmental conditions.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
- Public Safety and Security
- Physics
- Design
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from commercial divers
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters88% · −13%
- Ship Engineers86% · +50%
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines81% · −10%
- Boilermakers80% · +5%
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas79% · −7%
Change into commercial divers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters79% · $63,800
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators79% · $78,620
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians78% · $102,040
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines77% · $65,510
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians74% · $79,870
Majors that lead here
- Diver, Professional and Instructor
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.