How much does a Commercial Diver make?
Commercial Divers in the United States bring home a median salary of $72,990 a year, or around $35.09 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $43,330, while the top 10% earn $157,790.
That is $11,600 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Commercial Diver salary range by percentile
Half of all Commercial Divers earn between $54,810 and $101,550 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,330 | $20.83 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $54,810 | $26.35 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $72,990 | $35.09 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $101,550 | $48.82 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $157,790 | $75.86 |
Highest-paying states for Commercial Diver
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Commercial Diver pay at $161,800 a year, followed by New York ($157,800) and Rhode Island ($126,320). At the other end, Texas posts the lowest median at $46,490 — a gap of $115,310 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $161,800 | $77.79 | +122% |
| 2 | New York | $157,800 | $75.87 | +116% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $126,320 | $60.73 | +73% |
| 4 | California | $101,540 | $48.82 | +39% |
| 5 | Hawaii | $95,750 | $46.03 | +31% |
Commercial Diver salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 19 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 3,000 people work as Commercial Divers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $88,320 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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