Where do instructors get paid the best

[Drew Sailbum]

I was wondering where in the United States or the World persay, do Scuba instructors get paid the best wages, also what do these wages consist of.

Until a couple weeks ago, I would have said Grand Cayman.

Go to where the dive is good and the standard of living is decent. That will provide the demand for dive instructors and the cash to pay somewhat better.

 

[freediver]

I am doing quite well. I have been teaching for 5 years and have saved enough money to purchase that set of steak knives I used to dream about. If I could only afford the steak to go along with them!

 

[Mako Mark]

you have to be able to sell to make a living in diving.

 

[freediver]

you have to be able to sell to make a living in diving.

This is true. You have to sell your house, your car, your boat, possibly a child........

 

[Divemaster-K]

The rewards for teaching scuba are deals on gear, occasional free trips, and the satisfaction of watching your students "catch the bug." Perhaps if you could find a Sugarmama to teach...

 

[Mike Veitch]

Working on liveaboards is probably the best. No rent, no food to buy. You are looking at usually around $1000 per month plus something like $400-$700 per week of tips and commissions.

So that is usually $3000 or so per month.
Added bonus: In 5 years on boats i only ever saw Open Water being taught once!
Nice

 

[jbisjim]

You mean I am supposed to get paid? You mean like money?

 

[Coogeeman]

Seems that diving is the same world over.

Here in Australia DM's get paid nothing! And I mean that. 99% of DM's that work for the shops get paid with free boat dives and the odd course.

Dive Instructors for the last 10 years have been paid A$100 a day. If you take CPI into account, which works out to average 4% per annum it means that Instructors pay over the last 10 years has dopped 4% every year.

Gotta love it...especially when everything else keeps going up.
It's the old arguement, you don't do it for the money but with the responsibility that comes with it it doesn't add up and thats why lots of Instructors are basically saying that its just not worth the risk and leaving the game.

I teach part time and I have a regular day job. I couldn't survive otherwise.

Coogeeman

 

[texdiveguy]

I hear that DMs and Instructors are in short supply in Maui with shops starting DMs at around $450/500 per week......Instr. are starting at $30,000/35,000 per year.

 

[Kriterian]

To paraphrase a man or woman whose name I can't remember...

If you want to have a million dollars in the scuba instruction industry...start with two million.