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Diver vs commercial diver

The differences between divers and commercial divers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a diver has an average salary of $49,656, which is higher than the $47,356 average annual salary of a commercial diver.

The top three skills for a diver include demolition, scuba and chamber operations. The most important skills for a commercial diver are CPR, water construction, and OSHA.

Diver vs commercial diver overview

DiverCommercial Diver
Yearly salary$49,656$47,356
Hourly rate$23.87$22.77
Growth rate-5%
Number of jobs2,25328,688
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 36%Associate Degree, 29%
Average age4343
Years of experience--

Diver vs commercial diver salary

Divers and commercial divers have different pay scales, as shown below.

DiverCommercial Diver
Average salary$49,656$47,356
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $101,000Between $27,000 And $82,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between diver and commercial diver education

There are a few differences between a diver and a commercial diver in terms of educational background:

DiverCommercial Diver
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 36%Associate Degree, 29%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common college--

Diver vs commercial diver demographics

Here are the differences between divers' and commercial divers' demographics:

DiverCommercial Diver
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 86.8% Female, 13.2%Male, 96.7% Female, 3.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 3.2% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 3.3% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between diver and commercial diver duties and responsibilities

Diver example responsibilities.

  • Manage and supervise all divers/tenders and all topside aspects of the dive operation.
  • Manage riser and pipeline installation, subsea salvage, maintenance, and abandonment.
  • Conduct underwater hull, ndt, and damn inspections.
  • Install of security cameras, GPS, other components.
  • Train in dive safety, CPR and basic dive medicine.
  • Gain numerous safety and site specific training, including OSHA.
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Commercial diver example responsibilities.

  • Manage commercial and residential plumbing projects, as well as heating and cooling installation and repairs.
  • Perform all aspects of subsea oil platform demolition and salvage through the use of Broco cutting torches and rigging procedures.
  • Maintain current CPR and first aid certificates.
  • Supervise divers on P/L and scrapping jobs.
  • Work with cranes/rigging mostly dynamic loads, tuggers.
  • Inspect and maintain water reservoirs, NDT testing, structural repairs, and replacement and repair of various underwater structures.
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Diver vs commercial diver skills

Common diver skills
  • Demolition, 31%
  • Scuba, 23%
  • Chamber Operations, 10%
  • Hydraulic Tools, 9%
  • Salvage Operations, 7%
  • CPR, 3%
Common commercial diver skills
  • CPR, 17%
  • Water Construction, 12%
  • OSHA, 10%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Topside, 7%
  • Jigs, 5%

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