A dive tender is a beginning diver.
Jobs that need to be completed on land sometimes need to be completed underwater. This is the job of a deep sea diver. Divers wear equipment so that they may breathe underwater. While underwater, a diver works on various types of projects. Depending on the nature of his work, he may conduct a search and recovery project, take underwater pictures, or repair bridges. A diver's salary depends on a variety of factors, particularly his location.
Salary
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies a deep sea diver as a commercial diver. As of May 2010, a diver's average annual salary was $56,400, and her median annual salary was $51,360. Divers on the lower end of the salary scale in the 10th percentile earned $31,890 per year and those on the higher end of the scale in the 90th percentile, earned $89,560 per year.
Salary by State
A diver's earnings vary by the state in which he works. Earnings were highest for a diver in New Jersey and California, where salaries averaged $79,010 and $76,500, respectively. Salaries were also high in New York, Washington and Hawaii, where they averaged between $60,000 and $67,000 per year. Earnings were close to the national average in Louisiana, Texas and Alaska, where salaries averaged between $55,500 and $57,000 per year. Florida experienced the lowest earnings with annual salaries averaging $44,420, as reported by the BLS.
Salary by Metropolitan Area
Divers' salaries vary significantly across U.S. cities and metropolitan areas. The highest-paying areas were the Fairfield and Thousand Oaks, California, areas, where salaries averaged $113,660 and $85,280 per year, respectively. Salaries were also high in areas such as Houston area, the Tacoma, Washington, area and the New Orleans area, where they averaged between $60,500 and $67,000 per year. Salaries were lower in areas such as the San Diego area, the Arlington, Texas, area and the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area, where they averaged between $44,500 and $49,000 per year, as reported by the BLS.
Considerations
Many people picture deep sea diving as peacefully swimming around at the bottom of the ocean with the marine life. While some deep sea divers do photograph fish, many divers have the far less glorious job of building and repairing structures 1,000 feet underwater. A deep sea diver may have to repair a crack in an underground pipe or remove a large concrete remnant from the bottom of a river. With no visibility, these tasks can be difficult for the deep sea diver. Divers are also at risk for compression sickness and other illness. A diver may also work for nine months and then have three months off of work. A diver must prepare financially for this time off.
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