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There is little money in diving, with rare exceptions. If you decide to pursue it anyway: go to Florida Keys Community College for you diving related training.
SCUBA Instructor as a career for a poor fellow questions.
- Thread starter bmlong1985
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Dive the World
Contributor
Get a job and dive as a hobby.
I guess the only exception is being a commercial diver - they could make six figures in a year but not right off the bat. Look into commercial diving forum for advise if you want to make money that way.
I guess the only exception is being a commercial diver - they could make six figures in a year but not right off the bat. Look into commercial diving forum for advise if you want to make money that way.
acteg
Contributor
What did you major in?
BluewaterSail
Happy in Doubles
You might not even like diving. Not everyone does.
Clearly, as others have stated, its not known as a way to make money. Most instructors I know that are doing well financially also have another job.
If you don't find that you really love the sport, not worth wasting your education subsidy on. You won't know unless you try.
Clearly, as others have stated, its not known as a way to make money. Most instructors I know that are doing well financially also have another job.
If you don't find that you really love the sport, not worth wasting your education subsidy on. You won't know unless you try.
I have to agree with most of the above. If you do not already love diving and all that goes along with it, your plan is ill advised. Most of us to teach do so for the love of diving and sharing our interest with others. There is very little financial reward, and it is a tough and demanding profession. Sounds like you would be starting out behind the 8 ball. Get a real job, and start diving as a sport before doing any thing else.
InkyUndine
Registered
I'm a newbie myself - just about to be certified - and I'm a little uncertain why you'd want to consider diving as a career before even making your first dive. My understanding is that it's a long, challenging road to reach the point where you inspire confidence in others so that they want to spend their money training with you - and put their lives in your hands. I can tell you that we chose our instructor based upon a number of criteria, not the least of which is his vast experience AND his extensive supply of high quality scuba gear that is ours to use during training. He must have invested an absolute fortune in equipment alone. All the best to you in whatever you pursue - but as others have recommended, learn to dive and figure out if you absolutely love it before committing yourself to the sport as anything more than a hobby.
You state you are a poor fellow... becoming a dive instructor may make you even poorer. However, you may have a lot of fun going bankrupt!
BluewaterSail
Happy in Doubles
Where did the OP go? Maybe this was not such a serious question?
DevonDiver
N/A
Dive instructors are typically the poorest, happiest, people you'd meet. If you need money, then it isn't a wise career choice.... and we all need money sometimes...
Most scuba instructors have a short career-span in diving - a couple of years, often coinciding with an academic gap year, or career break. That is followed by 'part-timers', those who work mon-fri in a 'real' job and teach diving as a hobby. The next smaller demographic are mostly retirees, doing it as a passion. The tiny percentage of instructors who retain a long-standing career in diving are normally the owners of dive-related businesses (i.e. dive shops) or have some other form of secondary income to sustain them over a long term. Last, but not least, are the tiny percentage who have acquired sufficient experience and qualifications to make a living as full-time instructors, normally in specialist (typically technical related) diving pursuits.
Military, police, commercial and scientific diving is another matter.
For public services, including military, you're paid for your primary function (i.e. a policeman), with possibly a small bonus to reflect your specialism.
Commercial divers can earn big bucks, but the cost of training is very expensive. It's also rarely described as "fun" or as having much appeal beyond the financial incentives... it certainly doesn't equate to any experience you might have on holiday...
Scientific divers, who work in a field necessitating underwater research (marine biology, underwater archaeology etc) are more likely to receive a more attractive long-term income... based on their academic/scientific merits. The diving is a means to an end - but that doesn't preclude it being enjoyable.
Most scuba instructors have a short career-span in diving - a couple of years, often coinciding with an academic gap year, or career break. That is followed by 'part-timers', those who work mon-fri in a 'real' job and teach diving as a hobby. The next smaller demographic are mostly retirees, doing it as a passion. The tiny percentage of instructors who retain a long-standing career in diving are normally the owners of dive-related businesses (i.e. dive shops) or have some other form of secondary income to sustain them over a long term. Last, but not least, are the tiny percentage who have acquired sufficient experience and qualifications to make a living as full-time instructors, normally in specialist (typically technical related) diving pursuits.
Military, police, commercial and scientific diving is another matter.
For public services, including military, you're paid for your primary function (i.e. a policeman), with possibly a small bonus to reflect your specialism.
Commercial divers can earn big bucks, but the cost of training is very expensive. It's also rarely described as "fun" or as having much appeal beyond the financial incentives... it certainly doesn't equate to any experience you might have on holiday...
Scientific divers, who work in a field necessitating underwater research (marine biology, underwater archaeology etc) are more likely to receive a more attractive long-term income... based on their academic/scientific merits. The diving is a means to an end - but that doesn't preclude it being enjoyable.
I think the OP may have given up on this thread, along with his/her dream of being a scuba instructor 
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