Can you really make a living Scuba instructing ???

[Aquatic Eagle]

Now I've only been doing this for two years...but I am loving it. I became an instructor in May of 2003 and so far I have worked in St. Thomas, over a year for a cruise line and will be working for a liveaboard in August. I have barely done any teaching but mostly divemastering and guiding. I make enough money to pay for my flights to the different locations, save a little, and make payments on my student loan (around 15K). Just because you are certified as an instructor doesn't mean you have to instruct. That is a great level of certification to get a job but a lot of times you may just want to be a divemaster. That way you get to dive more and get a lot of boat experience. I will be working for Blackbeard's Cruises this coming August and I can't wait for the opportunity to get all of that experience and seatime on their fleet of 65' sailboats. Being an instructor can take you all over the world but being an instructor with a captain's license can get you so much more. I can't wait to see where my career will take me. I'm loving every minute of it. I encourage anyone who likes to work hard and have fun doing it to get involved in the industry.

 

[Moogyboy]

plus, why o why would anyone ever want to turn their (i'm assuming you're all like me) favorite sport/pastime/whatever into your job?

don't most people still hate their jobs? I do. lol.

I dunno, all those staff bios and photos on those dive-operator websites sure make it look glamourous.

Seriously, I dunno if I could afford to rely on instructing as a sole career, but personally I'd like to be certified as an instructor eventually. I just like the idea of it...so as it's another skill that I have and can use when I want/have to. I imagine it'd be a good way to make extra cash on the side. But even without the money it'd be nice to be able to say to a friend or acquaintance, "I'll be happy to teach you."

cheers

Billy S.

 

[Aquanaut4ata]

The big question there is what you consider a "decent living". Probably the most content I've ever been was when I was in the military, and making like $15k a year. I make several times that now, but I'd give it up in a heartbeat for a job that I was happy at if I could afford to. One thing you can make as a dive instructor is a pretty decent supplemental income, and you can pay for your diving habit. The truth is, though, that most of us who teach diving aren't in it for the money.

 

[Heffey]

I dunno, all those staff bios and photos on those dive-operator websites sure make it look glamourous.

When I first met the instructors that worked for the dive op I was completing my certification with I thought that they had it made. Diving as a job in Hawaii, could it get any better? After spending a few days around them and listening to them talk to each other I began to change my mind. Hearing about their 2nd jobs, roommates, sinus infections, ear infections and the car that they share between three of them kind of took off the shine. I suppose they must like it or they wouldn’t do it.
It sounds too much like work for me

 

[EnZed]

Very interesting topic, as I've asked myself this same question more times than I can count, as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver who's contemplated going through their instructor training course myself someday.

 

[flots am]

However It seems that there are so many schools on How to become a Pro Scuba Instructor !!!!!!!

Can any money be made doing this at all ?????

I know lots of US SCUBA instructors that make really good money.

Four are doctors, two are lawyers, several own businesses . . .

flots.

 

[alexunderpressure]

hi,

I´ve been diving for twenty five years and long ago I made a commitement to myself that one day I would be an instructor. The day came, I moved to Cozumel and I´m living like a king, BUT I have an ongoing business that gives me a secure income, if I had to live from diving I would be poor, as a matter of fact the only ones here that make money are the diveshop owners.

It is great however, to teach for the pleasure of it (I do charge, and that income is very welcome, but is not by far my primary income).

Reading from ppl who says that turning your hobby into your work may be a mistake made me think a bit. It is true that after five days of guiding and teaching I just want some days to rest, and guiding in palancar is very diferent than diving there with your buddys. It is true for me that I turned my passion into work, and to tell you the truth, I have had some very nasty atittudes from some divemastrs/instructors, I remember someone telling me "you do this because you want to, I do it because I have no choice."

Being a diving instructor/divemaster may not be as romantic as some ppl think.

 

[PhuketPaul]

Hi,

I've been working as an Instructor in Phuket, Thailand for the last 6 years and it's not easy to make a living, but I wouldn't want to change it!!

The money is hugely variable, from £0 on a bad month in the wet season to £2000 (3,500U$) on the very best months, but far too many are at the lower level :depressed:

But, I absolutely love my job, I look forward to going to work every day and I still really enjoy both diving and teaching and the chance to live in a tropical country like Thailand. I've had to give up a lot, I always used to have fast cars and top end things around me and never thought I could do without, but now I don't even have a car, and I don't mind.

The only Instructors that make good money here are the dive shop owners, but then it becomes like any other job, with very little diving, so that doesn't appeal

So it depends on what you need to get out of it, you will never be rich working full-time as a Scuba Instructor, and if you have a family to support then it could be very difficult, but if you can live simply and really love diving (and importantly teaching allsorts of students), and you have some money to keep you going in the leantimes then give it a go.

Paul

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Your question cannot be answered simply yes or no. To make a living as a scuba instructor you need to promote your business like any other entrepreneur. Location is important, controlling overhead, providing good customer service, everything important to any service business is important in a dive training business. Must "full time" instructors are affiliated with a dive center or dive boat, and also have duties in sales in the store, maintenance of equipment, and other duties as part of their employment. Still others work cruise ships and charters. Many work on liveaboards, serving as instructor and divemaster, and also have other crew duties from cooking to engine maintenance, depending on the boat. So, can you make a living as a dive instructor? Yes, IF you bear all of the foregoing in mind, work hard, and focus on your business.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Crowley]

To answer the question: Can you really make a living Scuba instructing? Well yes, you can- because I do.

Is it a good living? Depends on your definition of good. I'm a tropical warm water recreational resort instructor and I earn money that is good enough to live well and keep me renewed, insured and re-supplied with equipment. There are plenty of other instructors in similar environments who don't. Although I earn a salary which would put me below the poverty line in most of Europe, living costs in (for example) Thailand are peanuts compared to the US or UK - and hence everything works out - and I get to do what I love to do every day.

But I don't have a cool car (or any car, at the moment), no big flatscreen HDTV in what passes for the living area of my small apartment, and no high-powered lawnmower, but then I don't really have any use for these things, so if a "good life" means having a larger refrigerator than the guy next door, then no, you're not going to make a lot of money doing it.

It's possible in the locations I have lived purely because living expenses were so low, and even then it can be cutting it very fine when you have a quiet month. Back in Europe or America? There's little chance you can earn enough money solely from teaching diving to make ends meet, given that the overheads are so much greater.

Location, Location, Location is important. Unfortunately, to find a good location you might have to endure a few awful places along the way.

Depends on what you want, how passionate you are about the subject and how much time and money you have, because any way you look at it, getting into the business in the first place is an expensive proposition these days.

Good luck if you decide to take the path more increasingly, but still less *properly*, traveled.

Cheers

C.