Average Divemaster's Salary

[gekodivebali]

Not sure anyone realised but the source for this erroneous number is cited in the ehow article: it comes from simplyhired.com

This salary was calculated using the average salary for all jobs with the term "divemaster" anywhere in the job listing.

Looking at the classifieds available, jobs have nothing to do with working in a dive centre.
I love the post by legoland that requires divemaster to:
-Be comfortable diving while wearing costumes

 

[RJP]

Sorry to do a partial hijack. . . . but let's say (Hypothetically speaking) you're a recreational diver with DM credentials (and an outside job). Can't you then write off the cost of all the pretty trinkets and "necessary upgrades"? I realize it doesn't make them free, but wholesale less 30% (or so) might make the sport a bit less expensive.

Anybody every heard of the IRS auditing a DM because they show a net loss for the year?

Can't write off "all the pretty trinkets and necessary upgrades" but mileage, insurance, CE, etc all possible. Haven't been audited... yet.

 

[T.C.]

While I am not a Divemaster (and passed on the chance to do so), the topic of DM pay was once put to me thusly:

You know the difference between a Divemaster and a large pepperoni pizza?








The pizza can feed two people.

 

[DaleAngel]

God gave better salary than any other Divemaster,at least i have an average of 13000USD per year only on a small salary towing/salvage Company in Greece.but i can't earn that if i did not have my Bachelor's degree in Marine Transportation,huhu,I may be lucky.thanks.

 

[DaleAngel]

God gave better salary than any other Divemaster,at least i have an average of 13000USD per year only on a small salary towing/salvage Company in Greece.but i can't earn that if i did not have my Bachelor's degree in Marine Transportation,huhu,I may be lucky.thanks.

My friend co worker here said he can earn up to 18000USD per year at Ukraine as a Divemaster.but really needs hardwork as he dives everyday many times on a dive center resort.

 

[rjack321]

He'll who cares about pay. If you love getting to dive everyday or weekends is good enough for me. I'd take the good discounts on gear.

Because you got to eat, pay rent, gas, vehicle expenses, have money for retirement, pay for medical expenses, and pay for various types of insurance.
People like you who are willing to work for free just to be breathing underwater are why DMs are "paid" in free air.

 

[kensuf]

He'll who cares about pay. If you love getting to dive everyday or weekends is good enough for me. I'd take the good discounts on gear.

Huh.

Look, I find teaching to be a very rewarding experience and enjoy it immensely, but there is a heck of a lot of work involved.

I find that my typical "teaching day" is about 12-13 hours of work. I'm typically up at 6AM preparing the lunch for my clients, printing any handouts I'll have, and loading up my Honda so I can be out the door by 7:15AM in order to meet them (anywhere between 8 and 8:30AM) at the dive site for the days activities. I then spend a solid day with them, and we usually leave the dive site by 4 to head to the shop for fills. If I'm lucky, we're done getting fills for the following day (and end of day debriefings) by 5:30 or 6. On my way home I'll stop at the local supermarket to pick up ice for the cooler and food for the next days lunch.

The problem we have in this industry is that we get a lot of people who want to work in it for almost nothing because "it's fun!" but then when they find out there's a lot of hard work involved, they half-ass it and sour their clients to the sport. Do not fool yourself and think it's easy, the service industry is not an easy job. Instead, be a professional -- treat your clients with respect, give them the best training or experience you can, but also be willing to charge an appropriate rate for your time and effort.

 

[Doby45]

Huh.

Look, I find teaching to be a very rewarding experience and enjoy it immensely, but there is a heck of a lot of work involved.

I find that my typical "teaching day" is about 12-13 hours of work. I'm typically up at 6AM preparing the lunch for my clients, printing any handouts I'll have, and loading up my Honda so I can be out the door by 7:15AM in order to meet them (anywhere between 8 and 8:30AM) at the dive site for the days activities. I then spend a solid day with them, and we usually leave the dive site by 4 to head to the shop for fills. If I'm lucky, we're done getting fills for the following day (and end of day debriefings) by 5:30 or 6. On my way home I'll stop at the local supermarket to pick up ice for the cooler and food for the next days lunch.

The problem we have in this industry is that we get a lot of people who want to work in it for almost nothing because "it's fun!" but then when they find out there's a lot of hard work involved, they half-ass it and sour their clients to the sport. Do not fool yourself and think it's easy, the service industry is not an easy job. Instead, be a professional -- treat your clients with respect, give them the best training or experience you can, but also be willing to charge an appropriate rate for your time and effort.

I gotta take AT LEAST one of Ken's classes so I can say he made me a sammich!

 

[Remy B.]

DM= Slave
Slave don't get paid, only with food, DM get paid with air
Slaves are rescued by nobles
DM get tips from nobles

You need to love to be in the dive industry as a DM, because you certainly will be a Slave in most of the Dive Centers.

I was offered to be DM, I just needed to help for a full year in the Dive Center ( for Free, no pay ), I was allowed to keep my regular Job but If they had night activities and things to do do in the Dive Shop I had to be there, no weekends off.

If you have worked most of your live and earned good money you can open your own Dive Center, and live a relax and simple life, it is more like something to getting paid for a relax hobby the way I see it.

As a DM you will be doing a lot of work not even related to Dive activities if you want to be on the good side of most instructors, maybe is this something normal in the dive industry

I understand that the Dive centers don't make much money, and they can't pay for a gardener, or take the Shop Bus to a carwash, or pay somebody to clean the Toilets and sweep the floors in the Dive center, Paint the Dive Center, Etc Etc those are things you can do with no problem because one is happy to help around , but sometimes they abuse the system, I hate to see how the Shop Owner normally is the Same Instructor, to just sit and do F... Nothing and commands the DM to do all those things.

 

[TMHeimer]

Because you got to eat, pay rent, gas, vehicle expenses, have money for retirement, pay for medical expenses, and pay for various types of insurance.
People like you who are willing to work for free just to be breathing underwater are why DMs are "paid" in free air.

Couldn't agree more. As for kensuf's point of working for next to nothing because "it's fun" also totally agree--see my post way back about "professional" musicians working for free beer, etc.--another "fun" job, and as well, one that most frequently is not a "day job" that supports one. Hey, weren't we all told in high school that if you find a job you love you'll never "work" a day in your life? Not.