money for open water instructors

[RJP]

it sounds like you guys are all saying its not even worth being a divemaster nor instructor

Nope, simply saying "Don't do it for the money."

 

[El Dude]

[/bitterness]

sorry guys... long night and I let my bitterness get the best of me.

Its not quite as dire as I made it out to be. most of what I said was tongue in cheek comic.

But the fact remains that a number of instructors choose to take positions at very low rates of pay in order to go on 6 month or so extended vacations. They work half the year at construction or some other higher paying jobs and dive in the winters. Others just do it for a couple years and then go back to 'the real world'. You will never save up enough to live a long or comfortable retirement as an employed Scuba pro. What you will do however is see great places, meet tons of people, and enjoy yourself more than most office workers could fathom.

There will be days you question yourself, but what job is free of that?? If you are remarkable in your skills as an instructor, you may find yourself in more lucrative positions...or better yet owning your own shop/boats.

For the majority, instructors in warm climate, touristy, tropical places, tend to be nomadic, moving around regularly from place to place; tenure is measured often in months rather than years with many of these operators. Often the reason for this is lies with the instructor's goals and reason for being in the industry. Much of the allure is travel and discovery of the world. after working one shop for 6 months, the topography can become quite routine since you work 10 or so usual sites day in/day out. you find yourself looking towards the next island and towards new scenery. Yeah the fish and creatures are different every dive, but routine still seeps in. if you are constantly the "new guy" you can never expect to be paid top dollar. Conversely, if there are 20 resumes a week being sent unsolicited to the shop you work at, asking for too many raises can make the hungry 'new guy' more appealing to your management.

it is rare to make much as an instructor so there tends to be high turnover in the industry in general. People may decide to move on because they realize that in their current location, there is very little room for advancement since most shops are small. I know guys who pull wire as electicians making 140K a year with 5 years experience. I also know dive instructors with 20 years experience who were making 125$ a day with no benefits, no retirement, nothing... so when you realize that you aren't going to be young forever your perspective can change.

anyways, for me, working at recreational diving boiled down as such:
can you get rich?? maybe but not likely. Play the lotto too!
can you have a REASONABLE life?? sure just don't expect a HIGH standard
can you enjoy yourself?? HELL YEAH
can you do it forever?? not if you want to raise a family and get old comfortably.

Spoken like a true prophet. That pretty much summed up the situation. I found that 99% of the instructors I've worked with are either a) in their 20's or b) put off starting a family. Having a kid or becoming serious with someone is pretty much the nail in the coffin to your career as a professional nomadic instructor/DM...trust me I know this first hand. As a matter of fact a very good friend of mine who was also a CD retired from diving just so she could have a family before it was too late...On the other hand, I do know DSOs who get tenure with colleges/universities. These can be the most secure dive jobs in the industry...but they seem to be 75% beaurocratic red tape/25% actual instruction. Oh and don't get your hopes up too high...Every college/university DSO I know has to be a NAUI instructor with a college degree...none of that PADI "for profit" stuff at the university level, also everyone and their mother wants those positions and it is more competiitive than med school...

 

[El Dude]

Nope, simply saying "Don't do it for the money."

What RJP said.

 

[Mattleycrue76]

Well, the SCUBA training market is just that. With the standards set where they are today there are an abundance of Instructors who meet the requirements of the major agencies to teach and many are willing to do it for next to nothing. This depresses the market for everyone. Look at the zero to hero courses that take you from noob to OWSI in six months. Guess what? You don't learn the skills for a well paid career in six months. In any profession. Much less one with a desirable work environment.
Now that's not to say you can't make money as an instructor. There are a handful of Technical and Cave instructors charging $2500 a student for 5-7 Tech/Cave classes with a three student max and the good ones are booked solid for months in advance. Same goes for certain CCR instructors. What these people have in common is a vast level of experience and a reputation built for some of the best training available. Now even these instroctors are not going to get rich teaching, however I do suspect they could feed a family of four - especially if they're based in a location like Mexico.

 

[njedrn]

Diving as a second passion - that's for me.
I work as an RN - although I won't get rich from this, I will however make a good living. And having 4 days off a week (3 12hr shifts), I will have plenty of time to go after my DM and OWSI. It may not be the true nomad instructor lifestyle, but hey, I'll still be living the dream.

 

[Mattleycrue76]

Diving as a second passion - that's for me.
I work as an RN - although I won't get rich from this, I will however make a good living. And having 4 days off a week (3 12hr shifts), I will have plenty of time to go after my DM and OWSI. It may not be the true nomad instructor lifestyle, but hey, I'll still be living the dream.

This mindset is why there is such an abundance of OWSI willing to work for little pay, they simply enjoy it. BTW there is nothing wrong with this, it simply illustrates why it's very difficult to make a "living" as an instructor.

 

[Father]

At my husband's shop, instructors get $50 per student for an OW class. Everybody else works for free.

Despite that, we had more staff than students for the OW dives yesterday!

I see this is an old thread but... I have to ask.
What does your husband's shop charge the student?
Is the instructor's $50/student on top of a hourly wage?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I see this is an old thread but... I have to ask.
What does your husband's shop charge the student?
Is the instructor's $50/student on top of a hourly wage?

Don't want you to feel bad but TSandM is no longer with us.

 

[Father]

Don't want you to feel bad but TSandM is no longer with us.

Oh... yeah, I do feel bad. Jeez

 

[certified in 1976]

i am definatly thinking of being a open water instructor, and was just wondering the amount they get paid, same with the assistant instructor, nobody really talks bout that!!

Twenty years ago I was offered $1500. per month not including tips but besides being an instructor, duties included DM and boat captain since I was experienced with boats. This also included a free room at the resort. I never took the job.

A friend of mine walked into an operation in the Cayman Islands many years ago and dropped off his PADI instructor resume. He was told something like "you're the third one we've received today so we'll put your resume in the pile", but as he was leaving they asked what other skills he had. When he told them he was a diesel mechanic they hired him on the spot because he could also work on the boat engines as well as dive related activities.

Instructors are a dime a dozen, but if you have any other related marketable skills it can go a long way in getting you a job in a dive operation.