Earnings of instructors worldwide: references

[Wookie]

I know a load of them. Myself being one of them whenever I'm not in school (which as of last week is hopeful never again). I think that the difference is US diving verses European/resort diving. Most instructors around here are full time. The options are somewhere equatorial (aka Caribbean or Asian) or switching between Europe/Mediterranean and Southern Hemisphere/Equatorial in the winter. We don't make much (trust me it's depressing) but if you are happy with a meh apartment and decent food and working hard but diving everyday it's a blast.

So, does that mean you do it for a career or a lifestyle choice, and the difference is the emphasis you put on each one? A career is something you envision doing for the rest of your life, comes with a salary and benefits, as well as making enough for retirement. A lifestyle choice is enough to have an apartment, beer, a big enough bed so you can bang a newly certified student who is on holiday, and in ten years you gotta go use that schooling you just finished up?

 

[flots am]

. . .

 

[goflyplanes]

So, does that mean you do it for a career or a lifestyle choice, and the difference is the emphasis you put on each one? A career is something you envision doing for the rest of your life, comes with a salary and benefits, as well as making enough for retirement. A lifestyle choice is enough to have an apartment, beer, a big enough bed so you can bang a newly certified student who is on holiday, and in ten years you gotta go use that schooling you just finished up?

Ok by that logic I do it as a lifestyle choice and it makes a lovely resume addition for my career choice however many years down the line. That being said I do know a couple career instructors. Most of which have gone or are going in the direction of CD. Because let's be realistic, that is the only way to actually profit from being a dive pro. That being said there are definitely a few out there that don't really have all that motivation to do anything with their lives other than instruct diving.

 

[cephasiii]

...every now and then.."free beer"!!!!
life IS good!!!!
the perks-don't forget the perks!!!
have fun
yaeg

That's about what I'm looking for. Perks are the big reason for me. All I want is to have as close to a zero sum dive as possible.

 

[Wookie]

Ok by that logic I do it as a lifestyle choice and it makes a lovely resume addition for my career choice however many years down the line. That being said I do know a couple career instructors. Most of which have gone or are going in the direction of CD. Because let's be realistic, that is the only way to actually profit from being a dive pro. That being said there are definitely a few out there that don't really have all that motivation to do anything with their lives other than instruct diving.

Most of the folks I know who make it a career choice make it a second career choice. I know one instructor and his wife who started out lifestyle, but they are sharp as tacks, and I believe that they will stick with it. They just got hired on at a large training agency, and those folks tend to do OK. The other folks who make a living at diving are, like me, on their second career. I was taking a break from disposing of radioactive waste and became a dive instructor. I make a living, but I don't have to rely on it. I call what I do a lifestyle. Could I go back into the radioactive waste business? No, I've been gone too long. But I could make a darn sight more doing something or almost anything else than this. (Would you like to supersize that, sir? Only 1200 more calories....)

 

[supergaijin]

back to topic, IME:

Egypt in 2009/2010- 1000+ euro/month, minus all expenses, real earnings 300/month. If you're a couple your expenses are much less due to apartment costs.

SE Asia US$ 500-800. Minimal expenses but plenty of opportunites to spend on stupidity. Real earnings, $ minus $300-250/month.

NZ US$1500/month, minus all expenses. Real earnings $150-200/month.

Maldives US$1200/month. No expenses to speak of, unless you have a thirst.

Djibouti: 1000 euro/month. Many expenses, real earnings of 100 euro/month.

 

[kimbalabala]

The scuba profession listed there is "commercial diver." That's a totally different career path than a scuba instructor.

It does list Self Enrichment Education Teachers and then Coaches and Scouts. This tool tries to generalize job titles and match it with training and pay. The pay for the "Teachers" is about $36K and the pay for "Coaches and Scouts" is about $28. Is that about right or way off the mark in the United States?

 

[goflyplanes]

back to topic, IME:

Egypt in 2009/2010- 1000+ euro/month, minus all expenses, real earnings 300/month. If you're a couple your expenses are much less due to apartment costs.

SE Asia US$ 500-800. Minimal expenses but plenty of opportunites to spend on stupidity. Real earnings, $ minus $300-250/month.

NZ US$1500/month, minus all expenses. Real earnings $150-200/month.

Maldives US$1200/month. No expenses to speak of, unless you have a thirst.

Djibouti: 1000 euro/month. Many expenses, real earnings of 100 euro/month.

I'll add what I know.

Cyprus: E1200/month, minus all expenses. Real earnings E200-300/month.

Malta: E1200/month, minus all expenses. Real earnings E100-200/month.

Rome/Italy: E3,000/month, bloody expensive. Real earnings E500/month.

All of these expenses do not factor in transportation. If you want a motorino (scooter in the US) you pretty much loose all earnings.

 

[mlsantos]

From my experince in the industry... usually 1000USD can be expected... In asia it is 500USD basic pay and commissions on courses. Liveaboard Instructors get 1300 to 1700 depending on experience and actual job description. I have only heard of a few getting paid more than 2000USD and they are ussually transient consultants fixing the centers operations.

 

[christoph1]

i can only second the above.
Not much is left in SEAsia after all bills and expenses are covered.
In Europe 1000 - 1500 earnings with 200 - maximum 500 a month left after all is paid (that was a lake in Germany not the med)