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Offshore Oil & Gas
Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron
Commercial Divers
Commercial divers do underwater work that is usually closer to industrial repair than sport diving. They inspect docks, pipelines, valves, and other structures, often while staying in constant contact with a crew on the surface and handling heavy gear below. The tradeoff is clear: the work can pay well for a skilled diver, but it is physically demanding, risky, and tied to weather, visibility, and project schedules.
Also known as Commercial Diving TechnicianDive TechnicianUnderwater InspectorSubsea DiverSalvage Diver
Median Salary
$61,130
Mean $78,110
U.S. Workforce
~3K
0.4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+8.5%
4.2K to 4.5K
Entry Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Commercial Divers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~3K workers, with a median annual pay of $61,130 and roughly 0.4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 4.2 K in 2024 to 4.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Postsecondary nondegree award, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Dive Tender / Diver Assistant and can progress toward Dive Supervisor / Dive Superintendent. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, and Operation and Control, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Keep in contact with the team above the water by using a tether, radio, or underwater phone.
- Review the dive plan, water conditions, current, depth, and visibility before entering the water.
- Go underwater in scuba gear or a diving suit to reach the work area safely.
- Check docks, ships, pipes, sewers, cables, and other underwater structures for damage or wear using cameras and testing tools.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Keep in contact with the team above the water by using a tether, radio, or underwater phone.
02 Review the dive plan, water conditions, current, depth, and visibility before entering the water.
03 Go underwater in scuba gear or a diving suit to reach the work area safely.
04 Check docks, ships, pipes, sewers, cables, and other underwater structures for damage or wear using cameras and testing tools.
05 Clean, install, or repair pipes and valves that sit below the surface.
06 Help recover sunken objects or support cleanup and rescue work by rigging equipment to cranes, winches, and lifting gear.
Industries That Hire
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Marine Construction & Engineering
Bechtel, AECOM, Jacobs
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Ports, Shipyards & Maritime Services
Huntington Ingalls Industries, General Dynamics NASSCO, Austal USA
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Utilities & Water Infrastructure
Veolia, Black & Veatch, American Water
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Public Sector, Defense & Search and Rescue
U.S. Navy, NOAA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay can be solid for a hands-on trade: the mean annual wage is $78,110, and the median is still $61,130.
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You usually do not need a bachelor's degree or prior experience to start, which makes the entry barrier lower than many technical careers.
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The work is varied, moving between inspection, repair, recovery, and cleanup instead of one repetitive task.
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The field is small, with only about 3,430 workers, so certified divers with a good safety record can stand out.
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Demand is expected to keep growing, with employment projected to rise 8.5% from 2024 to 2034 and about 400 annual openings.
Challenges
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It is physically demanding and genuinely hazardous, with pressure changes, poor visibility, currents, and heavy equipment all part of the job.
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The occupation is small, so the roughly 400 annual openings can be competitive and often tied to specific regions or projects.
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Work can be inconsistent because many jobs depend on construction schedules, maintenance shutdowns, weather, and emergency callouts.
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Some inspection and survey tasks can be handled by cameras or remotely operated equipment, which may reduce the amount of work available for divers in certain niches.
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Advancement is not endless; to move up, workers often need to take on supervisory duties, travel, or higher-risk assignments.
Career Progression
Dive Tender / Diver Assistant
0-2 years
$36K-$48K
New workers help prepare gear, manage lines and tools, and support the diver before and after each dive.
Commercial Diver
2-6 years
$55K-$72K
At this stage, divers handle inspections, repairs, and recovery work independently, and this tier includes the occupation's median pay of $61,130.
Senior Commercial Diver / Lead Diver THIS ROLE
6-10 years
$73K-$96K
Experienced divers take on more difficult sites, lead small crews, and solve problems when conditions change underwater.
Dive Supervisor / Dive Superintendent
10+ years
$97K-$125K
Supervisors plan jobs, assign crews, manage safety rules, and coordinate with clients and surface crews.
Education Paths
Postsecondary nondegree award
This is the most common entry point, with 72.4% of workers holding a post-secondary certificate or similar nondegree credential.
Associate's degree in marine technology or a related field
A smaller share, 11.57%, enter with an associate's degree, often to build a stronger base in marine systems or inspection work.
High school diploma plus commercial diving training
Another 7.7% start with only a high school diploma, but they usually need specialized diving training right away to qualify for the work.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 75%
Quality Control Analysis 70%
Operation and Control 68%
Underwater Inspection, CCTV & Sonar Systems 66%
Surface-Supplied Diving Gear, SCUBA & Saturation Systems 64%
Rigging, Winches & Lifting Equipment 62%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingTime ManagementComplex Problem SolvingSituational Awareness Job Outlook and Trends
+8.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 4.2K to 4.5 K over the next decade, representing 8.5% growth. Around 0.4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.