49 Series · SOC 49-9092
Commercial Divers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $72,990
- Median / year
- $157,790
- Top 10% earn
- +8.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 3,450
- US workers
Commercial Divers earn a median of $72,990 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $72,990, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $43,330 (10th percentile) to $157,790 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,450 US workers. Washington pays the most ($161,800), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Commercial Divers earn a median of $72,990, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 64% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Installation, Maintenance, and Repair, it ranks #11 of 51 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 8.5% by 2033.
- $72,990
- Median annual wage
- Top 36%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #11 of 51
- in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- 3.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $161,800. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Commercial Divers (SOC 49-9092) pays a national median of $72,990 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $43,330 at the 10th percentile to $157,790 at the 90th, with a mean of $88,320 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 3,450 Americans work in this occupation across 19 reporting states and 10 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +8.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Postsecondary nondegree award and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 8.1 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $161,800, which is +122% above the national figure. The top metro is Providence-Warwick, RI-MA at $126,320 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$72,990
per year
Median Hourly
$35.09/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$88,320
average
Employment
3,450
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Commercial Divers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$72,990 Top 36% higher than 64% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 49-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Commercial Divers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 49-series occupations with growth data, Commercial Divers sits on the faster-growing side at +8.5% growth and $72,990 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+8.5%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
8.1/100K
Injury Rate
3/100
Danger Index
16/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Commercial Divers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.
- ▸ Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges.
- ▸ Communicate with workers on the surface while underwater, using signal lines or telephones.
- ▸ Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits.
- ▸ Obtain information about diving tasks and environmental conditions.
- ▸ Supervise or train other divers, including hobby divers.
- ▸ Inspect the condition of underwater steel or wood structures.
- ▸ Inspect 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.
- ▸ Repair ships, bridge foundations, or other structures below the water line, using caulk, bolts, and hand tools.
- ▸ Recover objects by placing rigging around sunken objects, hooking rigging to crane lines, and operating winches, derricks, or cranes to raise objects.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$43,330
25th Percentile
$54,810
Median
$72,990
75th Percentile
$101,550
90th Percentile
$157,790
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 19 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $161,800 | +122% above national |
| 2 | New York | $157,800 | +116% above national |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $126,320 | +73% above national |
| 4 | California | $101,540 | +39% above national |
| 5 | Hawaii | $95,750 | +31% above national |
| 6 | New Jersey | $86,920 | +19% above national |
| 7 | Arizona | $85,990 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Vermont | $85,780 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Indiana | $83,510 | +14% above national |
| 10 | Maine | $74,610 | +2% above national |
| 11 | Kentucky | $63,550 | 13% below national |
| 12 | Missouri | $63,030 | 14% below national |
| 13 | Virginia | $62,340 | 15% below national |
| 14 | Louisiana | $62,230 | 15% below national |
| 15 | Connecticut | $59,690 | 18% below national |
| 16 | Michigan | $54,620 | 25% below national |
| 17 | Florida | $49,640 | 32% below national |
| 18 | South Carolina | $49,260 | 33% below national |
| 19 | Texas | $46,490 | 36% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 10 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $126,320 | +73% above national |
| 2 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $101,550 | +39% above national |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $95,750 | +31% above national |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $89,130 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $84,200 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $62,820 | 14% below national |
| 7 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $59,690 | 18% below national |
| 8 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $55,440 | 24% below national |
| 9 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $50,920 | 30% below national |
| 10 | Jacksonville, FL | $49,640 | 32% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 49 (installation maintenance and repair) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Commercial Divers make? ▼
What state pays Commercial Divers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Commercial Divers? ▼
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Is Commercial Divers a good career? ▼
How does Commercial Divers pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Commercial Divers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $101,550/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $161,800/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.