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What is a diving instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a diving instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.53 an hour? That's $32,311 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 20% and produce 48,800 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreDiving InstructorUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $32,311

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.9

Growth rate 20%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%

Asian 6.03%

Black or African American 10.84%

Hispanic or Latino 15.68%

Unknown 5.73%

White 61.19%

Gender

female 26.67%

male 73.33%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Diving instructor career paths

Key steps to become a diving instructor

  1. Explore diving instructor education requirements

    Most common diving instructor degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.3 %

    Associate

    9.8 %

    High School Diploma

    6.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific diving instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Scuba63.44%
    Scuba Diving22.04%
    AED5.62%
    Equipment Maintenance4.50%
    Visual Inspections4.40%
  3. Complete relevant diving instructor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New diving instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a diving instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real diving instructor resumes.
  4. Research diving instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Demonstrate responsibility managing and maintaining boats and equipment.
    • Cover the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology including cell biology, metabolism, microbiology, genetics, evolution and histology.
    • Instruct adults in a variety of topics including; emotional psychology, biological psychology, anatomy and physiology, motivational psychology ...
  5. Prepare your diving instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your diving instructor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a diving instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable diving instructor resume templates

    Build a professional diving instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your diving instructor resume.
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
    Diving Instructor Resume
  6. Apply for diving instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a diving instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first diving instructor job

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Average diving instructor salary

The average diving instructor salary in the United States is $32,311 per year or $16 per hour. Diving instructor salaries range between $19,000 and $54,000 per year.

Average diving instructor salary
$32,311 Yearly
$15.53 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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