Survey: The Economics of Being a Scuba Diving Instructor (2nd edition)

The “Economics” of Being a Dive Instructor: Job Remuneration

(2025) We conducted the first dive instructor remuneration study 4 years ago, at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s time to update it. Please participate!

Is it possible to make a living as a recreational scuba diving instructor? What to expect financially. Hourly rates. How much to invest in dive gear & scuba training. Differences in dive professionals’ income, based on the instructor’s gender, location, training agency affiliation, experience, age, and more.

DIVE IN$TRUCTOR $URVEY

This survey is ONGOING & OPEN to ALL SCUBA DIVING INSTRUCTORS who were ACTIVE IN 2024.

It is for instructors and instructor trainers who were active in 2024 in recreational and tech diving.

If you did not teach scuba diving in 2024, there is nothing to survey. Instead, please participate in our other dive industry surveys and market studies. Thank you!

It's the second edition of a survey we conducted for the first time 4 years ago.

This survey is part of a series of dive industry studies by InDEPTH Magazine and the Business of Diving Institute, with generous support from DAN Europe, GUE, and Shearwater.

Answers are anonymous, and your participation is greatly appreciated!

Tap 'Start' to participate in this short survey. You must get to 'Finish' for your answers to be recorded.

Note: This is our new survey platform. If you notice issues, please be so kind as to let us know. Thank you!

The "Economics" of Being a Dive Instructor

This survey is only for dive instructors and instructor trainers who taught recreational and/or tech diving courses in 2024.

What maximum level of certification did you have as a dive instructor in 2024?^*

1. Instructor

2. Instructor Trainer / Course Director

Clear Selection

In the rest of this survey:

"Instructor" includes instructor trainers and course directors.
For every question related to earnings, please provide an answer "before income taxes."
All questions are related to 2024.

Clear Selection

Which answer best describes your general level of involvement in teaching scuba in 2024?^*

1. Teaching diving full time and regularly

2. Teaching diving part time and/or occasionally

Clear Selection

With which dive training agencies were you in teaching status in 2024? Please select all that apply.^*

1. ACUC

2. BSAC

3. DAN

4. DDI

5. Dive Heart

6. GUE

7. HSA

8. IANTD

9. ITDA-IHMP

10. NASE

11. NAUI

12. PADI

13. PFI

14. PSAI

15. PSS

16. RAID

17. SDI

18. SEI-PDIC

19. SSI

20. TDI

21. UTD

Other:

Clear Selection

Did you have tech diving instructor credentials (of any kind) in 2024?^*

1. Yes

2. No

Clear Selection

In what category of courses did you have teaching status in 2024? Please select all that apply.

1. Recreational Diving (including nitrox)

2. Rebreather Diving

3. Cave Diving

4. Tech Diving (other than cave & rebreathers)

5. Adaptive / Handicapped Scuba

6. First Aid / CPR / O2 / Public Safety

7. Freediving

8. Tankless Diving (surface-supplied air)

Clear Selection

For which category of courses were you an instructor trainer (course director) in 2024? Please select all that apply.

1. Recreational Diving (including nitrox)

2. Rebreather Diving

3. Cave Diving

4. Tech Diving (other than cave & rebreathers)

5. Adaptive / Handicapped Scuba

6. First Aid / CPR / O2 / Public Safety

7. Freediving

8. Tankless Diving (surface-supplied air)

Clear Selection

In which of the following activities have you NEVER taught courses, but INTEND on teaching in the future? Please select all that apply.

1. Recreational Diving (including nitrox)

2. Rebreather Diving

3. Cave Diving

4. Tech Diving (other than cave & rebreathers)

5. Adaptive / Handicapped Scuba

6. First Aid / CPR / O2 / Public Safety

7. Freediving

8. Tankless Diving (surface-supplied air)

Clear Selection

How many students did you certify in 2024 in total in all the course categories listed in the questions above?

Clear Selection

The "Economics" of Being a Dive Instructor (cont'd)

For how long have you been a dive instructor?

1. Less than 5 years

2. from 5 years to less than 10 years

3. 10 years or more

Clear Selection

In 2024, was teaching diving your main source of income?

1. Yes

2. No

Clear Selection

How much income did you earn from dive teaching in 2024, including tips & commissions? Please convert to US$ (thanks for your understanding and help).

Clear Selection

How much do you estimate having earned per hour while working as a dive instructor in 2024? Please convert to US$ (thanks for your understanding and help).

Clear Selection

Who was your employer for most of your dive teaching activities in 2024?

If you were contractual with only one dive center, it is not considered being 'independent' for this survey. 'Independent' typically means that you taught independently of a dive center (except for limited services like air fills and rental gear). However, if you taught for more than one dive center, you are also considered an independent dive instructor in this survey.

1. Independent / Self-employed

2. Liveaboard

3. Resort / Dive Center in a Tourist Destination

4. Dive Center in a Non-tourist Location

5. Dive Club / College & University Program

Clear Selection

How many personal dives (non-teaching) have you done in 2024?

Clear Selection

Do you believe dive teaching to be a career path for people to earn a living?

1. Yes

2. No

Clear Selection

What professional goals do you currently have in relation to the dive industry? Please select all that apply. These are goals you have not yet achieved.

1. Becoming an instructor trainer (course director)

2. Becoming a tech diving instructor

3. Becoming a tech diver

4. Owning a resort / dive center in a tourist destination

5. Owning a dive center in a non-tourist location

6. Owning a liveaboard

7. Taking professional development training not directly related to diving skills (customer service, business management, sales & marketing, etc.)

Clear Selection

How much have you invested so far in dive training in your career (excluding equipment costs)? Please convert to US$ (thanks for your understanding and help).

Clear Selection

How much have you spent so far on dive equipment? Please convert to US$ (thanks for your understanding and help).

Clear Selection

What was the total combined income of all members of your household in 2024, from all sources? Please convert to US$ (thanks for your understanding and help).

Clear Selection

What are your main challenges as a dive instructor?

Clear Selection

What non-diving-skills-related professional development programs would you like to take as a dive professional (e.g., customer service, sales & marketing, etc.)?

Clear Selection

Wrapping Up

Please remember...

Please remember to get to the "Finish" button (below) and possibly tap the 'I'm not a robot' annoying check for your answers to be recorded. Thank you for your contribution to a better understanding of the dive industry!

Clear Selection

In which region did you most often taught diving in 2024?^*

1. United States (including AK & HI)

2. Canada

3. Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, Tropical Atlantic

4. South America

5. Western Europe

6. Eastern Europe (including Russia)

7. Australia, New Zealand

8. China, Hong Kong, Macau

9. Japan, Other Non-Tropical Asia-Pacific Region

10. South Pacific, Indo-Pacific, Other Tropical Asia-Pacific Region (incl. Maldives)

11. Egypt

12. Middle East (excluding Egypt)

13. Africa, Madagascar

Clear Selection

Please, select the group that includes your year of birth.

1. 1901-1927 (The Greatest Generation)

2. 1928-1945 (The Silent Generation)

3. 1946-1954 (Boomers I)

4. 1955-1964 (Boomers II/Generation Jones)

5. 1965-1980 (Generation X)

6. 1981-1996 (Millennials)

7. 1997-2012 (Generation Z)

Clear Selection

To which gender do you most identify?

1. Female

2. Male

Clear Selection

Please share any additional thoughts you have on the "economics" of being a dive instructor.

Clear Selection

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Please note: You must tap the ‘FINISH‘ button (and possibly tap on the ‘I’m not a robot‘) for your answers to be recorded. Thanks for your contribution.

Please participate in our other dive industry surveys & market studies.

Thank you for your contribution to a better understanding of the dive industry for everyone’s benefit. You’re awesome! Dive safe!