Salary...

Any PADI IDC Staff Instructors out there? I'm wondering what the "going rate" is for Staff instructors. My monthly salary is about $800.00. Am I being ripped off? What are you making? Any input would be appreciated.

*thinks to himself that there is NO WAY he would ever be able to live on an instructors salary*

$800 a MONTH? Holy bankrupcy Batman!

you live in the world. Some places $800 is quite a bit of money.

you'll likely get more in the bay area, since I think many are independant contractors....

But the cost of living will make the effective pay of $800/month seem like just enough for a hamburger, twice a week...

Being ripped off? I suppose it depends on how many hours you put in. If it's a 40-hour a week job (including travel time to and from dive sites plus class prep) then you're not even getting minimum wage.

How many students do you train in a month? Is your salary dependent upon how many students you train or how many hours you put in? If not, then perhaps if you break it down hourly, you might be getting ripped off during the peak months and making great money during the off-season.
That wouldn't be too bad if you don't also work at the shop, since it would let you spend more time at a better paying job... and en extra $800/mo is nice.

No way I'd even dream of living off of being an instructor.

Gdelo once bubbled...
Any PADI IDC Staff Instructors out there? I'm wondering what the "going rate" is for Staff instructors. My monthly salary is about $800.00. Am I being ripped off? What are you making? Any input would be appreciated.

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<snicker>

Gee, according to PADI, being an IDC Instructor is the pinnacle of diving. As they say on their website:

"The Course Director rating is the equivalent of having a postgraduate degree in scuba diving instruction, there is not a more prestigious level of certification within the dive industry"

$800 a month? I guess that tells you what this "postgraduate degree" is really worth, doesn't it?.

I donate my instructional time to the Boy Scouts or a church group! My real job is being a network consultant.

Oh yeah, welcome to the Board GDelo. I hope you learn as much and meet as many great people as I have!!!

Gee, according to PADI, being an IDC Instructor is the pinnacle of diving. As they say on their website:

"The Course Director rating is the equivalent of having a postgraduate degree in scuba diving instruction, there is not a more prestigious level of certification within the dive industry"

Click to expand...

Sorry, but you have mixed up Instructor ratings: an IDC Staff Instructor is not the same as a Course Director (CD).

A CD is an Instructor Trainer, which is the highest designation in non-commercial diving.

Here is information on IDC Staff Instructors:

IDC Staff Instructors work with PADI Course Directors to develop instructor candidates ’ teaching abilities as well as shape their attitudes as dive professionals. IDC Staff Instructors are also authorized to independently conduct PADI Assistant Instructor courses.

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IDC Staff Instructors are MSDT's who have completed an IDC Staff Instructor Course with a CD.

Just thought I'd clarify.

~SubMariner~

In almost any place, you are getting ripped off. If anyone plans to save for the future and have something for a rainy day, 800 a month will leave you a long way from ever doing that. Of course if you get bonus and comission on courses and equipment sales it can be a good deal, but it sounds to me like you will be taken advantage of.

I never understood how someone could make a living at being an Instructor. After I finished my IDC I looked into a job at several LDS. I wanted to get out of aviation and into something a bit more exciting as well as something I loved to do. One shop I had an interview with said they would pay me $8.00 an hour for my 40 hours in the shop and then I had to work the boat and teach on the weekends. They also said I had to buy all new equipment from their shop and us it exclusively as well as pay for my own insurance.

I told them they were crazy. 40 hours a week in the shop and weekends on the boat as well as buying all new equipment and paying for my insurance on $8.00 an hour? I told the guy I'd be more then happy to use the equipment they stocked in the store while I was on the clock and teaching but that they would have to supply it or I would use their rental gear but that I was not about to sell all of my gear and buy all new from them just to have a job.

Needless to say I never took a full time job at a dive shop and I'm still in the aviation business. I worked for several differant shops as a contract Instructor, made some money doing it and had a blast. God bless those that can survive doing it, I just never thought it paid enough.