money for open water instructors

[Lee Taylor]

I have always heard 25k per year for an Instructor, in good economic times. The warning has always been you will sometimes have students from hell, students that refuse to do as told, and students that will get hurt or killed regardless of how well you do your job.

 

[toddthecat]

Ah this question again! Pretty much the rule of thumb is to never put "make a living" and "diving" in the same sentence. Sure, there are some people out there that can keep themselves afloat with just diving (no pun intended) but keep in mind the initial investment can take a LONG time to make back.

 

[pir8]

As for Assistant Instructors; who decides to be an AI? The only AI certs I have ever heard of were; for Instructor Candidates that for whatever reason did not pass the IDC/IE or an IDC assisting Master Instructor Candidate needed AI certs for their own advancement and paid the fee for the AI certs of OWSI's who did not really need AI because they did pass the IDC/IE. Flunkies or red herrings; the Assistant Instructor level should not exist. Since they should not exist, the typical pay for AI is nothing.

Actually I know a couple AI's that love helping but don't want the full responsibility.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

So you are saying they chose to just take the AI Course? What does AI get them that DM didn't?

 

[pir8]

So you are saying they chose to just take the AI Course? What does AI get them that DM didn't?

Really not that much. There are small differences and who is to say why one person wants one status and not another. I have seen some that weren't sure if they wanted to take the full step to Instructor so they did AI first, some were happy there, some finished later.

 

[TSandM]

The $50 per student is for the whole class -- six pool sessions and two days of open water diving. Plus any makeup sessions for people who miss one. It's truly peanuts.

But even my Fundamentals instructor didn't make much -- he spent three ten hour days with us, and each of us paid him $350.

 

[Tinytechie]

I'm surviving well enough on fairly good coin over here in Australia where they HAVE to pay you properly haha but its all casual work so when the wind blows up or the tourists stop coming theres no work and it gets painful... but even still i say im making okay pay but only compared to what i've made elsewhere not in comparison to the work i do.. I do 10-13 hours on the boat for $140 a day... ouch..

 

[RJP]

i am definatly thinking of being a open water instructor, and was just wondering the amount they get paid

Q: What's the difference between a scuba instructor and a large pepperoni pizza?

A: A large pepperoni pizza can feed a family of four.

 

[tregrrr]

As for Assistant Instructors; who decides to be an AI? The only AI certs I have ever heard of were; for Instructor Candidates that for whatever reason did not pass the IDC/IE or an IDC assisting Master Instructor Candidate needed AI certs for their own advancement and paid the fee for the AI certs of OWSI's who did not really need AI because they did pass the IDC/IE. Flunkies or red herrings; the Assistant Instructor level should not exist. Since they should not exist, the typical pay for AI is nothing.

while on a live aboard, i was discussing the AI vs OWSI issue with a guest. He had been an AI (one of a couple in their club) for like 10 years and was contemplating the OWSI 'jump' since on of their two OWSI had moved away. He explained that he, and the other AI's, had infact stopped at that level purposefully. Apparently in their club, they pay the liability insurance communally and they were limited by their current insurance level to two active instructors... Needless to say with the hundreds of hours of cold quarry AI work, I would have been more than happy to hand him one of my (loved) family for instruction the day after his IDC ; talk about a solid diver!

 

[El Dude]

Q: What's the difference between a scuba instructor and a large pepperoni pizza?

A: A large pepperoni pizza can feed a family of four.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to tell that one to all my buddies who just did their ITC!

But on the bummer side...a DM makes even less...reality check:depressed: