How much to learn to dive?

[tridacna]

I'm curious to find out how much your LDS charges to teach a complete OW certification. There seems to be a prevailing thought in some forums that some stores do it as a loss leader to generate equipment sales. (Given how little instructors receive, I doubt that very much!).

It will be interesting to see how much the costs vary around the country. No need to identify the stores, just the region and price.

I'll kick off with the store that's closest to me in Northern NJ.

Academics and Confined Water: $359 plus $80 for a PADI crewpack. ($25 less if student does eLearning).

Must have own fins, mask, snorkel and booties to start. Shop offers $50 store credit if items are purchased at the store.

Open water is another $240.00

(Yes, this is high but this is a VERY HIGH rent district).

 

[flyin01]

Class and pool $329
check out dives $125 (includes equipment)
$50 credit if mask, fins, boots, and snorkel are also purchased.

 

[Tony387]

$395 for OW...includes books and check out dives at local lakes.

 

[Peter Guy]

Total cost of an open water class is around $600 (and up) -- PADI materials (DVD, Book, Slate, Log Book, etc.); Mask, Fins, Snorkel, booties, gloves; 6 classroom and pool sessions (9 hours pool time); two days of open water dives in a wetsuit -- 4 dives

IF the student wants to do their open water dives dry and get the Dry Suit Card -- add another $250 for the dry suit orientation, and the fifth open water dive

 

[Hawkwood]

Are all of these prices for "group" classes?

 

[oly5050user]

group class; $269 academics/pool,,training dives $239 includes rental tanks weights wetsuit bcd regulator..padi ow crewpackage/dvd $107.

private; $550 student completes elearning; $650 traditional txt/class presentations.does not include cost for elearning / text or ow training dives

 

[tridacna]

Are all of these prices for "group" classes?

Mine are. Private is $595 for 1 or 2 students for Academics and Confined.

 

[TMHeimer]

Ours tends to vary, but it's around $300-350 (Canadian, which is about $240-$280 US now with the drop in the C$) for the whole course. You need your own mask, fins & snorkel of course.

 

[FishLovingStudent]

~$500 CDN here

 

[rhuntley]

$535 Canadian at my shop for public OW, all gear provided (including drysuit and undergarments)