Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

49-9092 Commercial Divers

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. Excludes “Athletes and Sports Competitors” (27-2021), “Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers” (33-3051), and “Fishing and Hunting Workers” (45-3031).


National estimates for Commercial Divers
Industry profile for Commercial Divers
Geographic profile for Commercial Divers

National estimates for Commercial Divers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Commercial Divers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
2,790 11.3 % $ 36.33 $ 75,570 6.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Commercial Divers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.96 $ 22.33 $ 29.47 $ 43.15 $ 65.86
Annual Wage (2) $ 39,430 $ 46,440 $ 61,300 $ 89,750 $ 136,990


Industry profile for Commercial Divers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Commercial Divers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Commercial Divers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Commercial Divers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Support Services 1,070 0.33 $ 41.01 $ 85,310
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 570 0.45 $ 36.36 $ 75,630
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 60 0.00 $ 21.35 $ 44,420
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 50 0.00 $ 33.79 $ 70,280
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 30 0.00 $ 34.84 $ 72,470

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Commercial Divers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 570 0.45 $ 36.36 $ 75,630
Other Support Services 1,070 0.33 $ 41.01 $ 85,310
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 50 0.00 $ 33.79 $ 70,280
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 60 0.00 $ 21.35 $ 44,420
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 30 0.00 $ 34.84 $ 72,470

Top paying industries for Commercial Divers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Support Services 1,070 0.33 $ 41.01 $ 85,310
Support Activities for Water Transportation (8) (8) $ 40.43 $ 84,090
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 570 0.45 $ 36.36 $ 75,630
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 30 (7) $ 34.84 $ 72,470
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 50 (7) $ 33.79 $ 70,280


Geographic profile for Commercial Divers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Commercial Divers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Commercial Divers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of commercial divers by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Commercial Divers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 560 0.30 16.47 $ 26.37 $ 54,840
Florida 330 0.03 1.87 $ 27.18 $ 56,540
Texas 150 0.01 0.61 $ 27.27 $ 56,730
Michigan 150 0.03 1.84 $ 24.08 $ 50,090
Washington 130 0.04 2.07 $ 74.34 $ 154,630


Map of location quotient of commercial divers by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Commercial Divers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 560 0.30 16.47 $ 26.37 $ 54,840
Alaska 40 0.14 7.63 $ 29.39 $ 61,140
Hawaii 50 0.08 4.10 $ 42.14 $ 87,650
Kentucky 90 0.04 2.44 $ 30.34 $ 63,110
Washington 130 0.04 2.07 $ 74.34 $ 154,630


Map of annual mean wages of commercial divers by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Commercial Divers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York (8) (8) (8) $ 74.82 $ 155,630
Washington 130 0.04 2.07 $ 74.34 $ 154,630
California (8) (8) (8) $ 64.57 $ 134,310
New Jersey (8) (8) (8) $ 47.45 $ 98,690
Ohio (8) (8) (8) $ 44.22 $ 91,980



Map of employment of commercial divers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Commercial Divers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 130 1.67 90.88 $ 31.03 $ 64,540
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 120 0.04 2.43 $ 28.43 $ 59,120
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 70 0.10 5.32 $ 36.24 $ 75,380
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 60 0.01 0.35 $ 62.79 $ 130,600
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 60 0.04 1.98 $ 62.23 $ 129,430
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 40 0.03 1.58 $ 27.26 $ 56,690
Anchorage, AK 30 0.20 10.78 $ 30.48 $ 63,400
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 30 0.01 0.59 $ 43.08 $ 89,600


Map of location quotient of commercial divers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Commercial Divers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 130 1.67 90.88 $ 31.03 $ 64,540
Anchorage, AK 30 0.20 10.78 $ 30.48 $ 63,400
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 70 0.10 5.32 $ 36.24 $ 75,380
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 120 0.04 2.43 $ 28.43 $ 59,120
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 60 0.04 1.98 $ 62.23 $ 129,430
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 40 0.03 1.58 $ 27.26 $ 56,690
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 30 0.01 0.59 $ 43.08 $ 89,600
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 60 0.01 0.35 $ 62.79 $ 130,600


Map of annual mean wages of commercial divers by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Commercial Divers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (8) (8) (8) $ 81.27 $ 169,040
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 60 0.01 0.35 $ 62.79 $ 130,600
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 60 0.04 1.98 $ 62.23 $ 129,430
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 30 0.01 0.59 $ 43.08 $ 89,600
Urban Honolulu, HI (8) (8) (8) $ 42.50 $ 88,410
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 70 0.10 5.32 $ 36.24 $ 75,380
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 130 1.67 90.88 $ 31.03 $ 64,540
Anchorage, AK 30 0.20 10.78 $ 30.48 $ 63,400
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 120 0.04 2.43 $ 28.43 $ 59,120
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 40 0.03 1.58 $ 27.26 $ 56,690


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024