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The national median salary for Commercial Divers is $72,987 per year ($35.09/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $54,808 and $101,546 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $157,789 per year. There are approximately 3,450 commercial divers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+8.5%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
400
per year, on avg
Workforce today
4K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
10% from new growth90% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Other Support Services
NAICS 561900
2K
$76,350
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
NAICS 237900
940
$104,980
Amusement Parks and Arcades
NAICS 713100
180
$39,200
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
NAICS 712100
100
$46,540
Support Activities for Water Transportation
NAICS 488300
70
$95,750
Wage range across top 5 industries: $39,200 to $104,980 (168% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$20.83
$43,326
P25
$26.35
$54,808
P50MEDIAN
$35.09
$72,987
P75
$48.82
$101,546
P90
$75.86
$157,789
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average commercial divers salary?
The national median salary for Commercial Divers is $72,987 per year ($35.09/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $54,808 and $101,546 annually.
How much do top-earning commercial divers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Commercial Divers is $157,789 per year ($75.86/hr). The 75th percentile is $101,546 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for commercial divers?
Entry-level Commercial Divers (10th percentile) earn approximately $43,326 per year ($20.83/hr). The 25th percentile is $54,808 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.