Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

Commercial Divers

25/100
#208 of 825
$72,990
median pay, U.S.
3,450
employed (2024)
+8.5%
growth, 2024–34
400
openings per year
Postsecondary nondegree award
typical entry education

Is commercial divers a good career?

It scores 25/100 and ranks #208 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • Pays above the U.S. median wage ($72,990)
  • Faster-than-average projected growth (+8.5% through 2034)

Possible tradeoffs

  • No notable tradeoffs stand out in the wage and projection data.

What commercial divers earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. commercial divers earn between $54,810 and $101,550 a year.

Best-paying states

Washington statewide
$161,800
New York statewide
$157,800
Rhode Island statewide
$126,320
California statewide
$101,540
Hawaii statewide
$95,750
New Jersey statewide
$86,920
Arizona statewide
$85,990
Vermont statewide
$85,780
Indiana statewide
$83,510
Maine statewide
$74,610
$20k $140k $260k

Best-paying metros

01 Providence, RI $126,320
02 San Diego, CA $101,550
03 Urban Honolulu, HI $95,750
04 New York, NY $89,130
05 Philadelphia, PA $84,200
06 Virginia Beach, VA $62,820
07 Hartford, CT $59,690
08 Miami, FL $55,440

Strongest employment concentration

01 Florida 370
02 California 310
03 Louisiana 230
04 New York 170
05 Connecticut 120
06 Michigan 80

Live commercial divers jobs

No live commercial divers openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified commercial divers openings will appear here — each shown against the $72,990 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a commercial diver

Typical education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

High school diploma or equivalent · $49,590 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $64,520 median
Postsecondary nondegree award · $61,010 median
Questions about becoming a commercial diver
How much do commercial divers make?

The national median wage is $72,990 a year, with the middle half earning between $54,810 and $101,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is commercial divers a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 25 of 100 and ranks #208 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +8.5% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a commercial diver?

The typical entry-level education is postsecondary nondegree award.

Where do commercial divers earn the most?

Among states, Washington pays the highest median ($161,800). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →