Commercial Divers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for commercial divers is $72,990, or $35.09 per hour. About 3,450 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $161,800 in Washington to $46,490 in Texas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 19 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $161,800 | $77.79 | — | — |
| 2 | New York | $157,800 | $75.87 | 170 | 0.81 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $126,320 | $60.73 | — | — |
| 4 | California | $101,540 | $48.82 | 310 | 0.76 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $95,750 | $46.04 | 70 | 4.89 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $86,920 | $41.79 | — | — |
| 7 | Arizona | $85,990 | $41.34 | — | — |
| 8 | Vermont | $85,780 | $41.24 | 80 | 11.38 |
| 9 | Indiana | $83,510 | $40.15 | — | — |
| 10 | Maine | $74,610 | $35.87 | — | — |
| 11 | Kentucky | $63,550 | $30.55 | — | — |
| 12 | Missouri | $63,030 | $30.30 | — | — |
| 13 | Virginia | $62,340 | $29.97 | — | — |
| 14 | Louisiana | $62,230 | $29.92 | 230 | 5.40 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $59,690 | $28.70 | 120 | 3.29 |
| 16 | Michigan | $54,620 | $26.26 | 80 | 0.78 |
| 17 | Florida | $49,640 | $23.86 | 370 | 1.69 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $49,260 | $23.68 | 30 | 0.63 |
| 19 | Texas | $46,490 | $22.35 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do commercial divers make?
The median annual wage for commercial divers in the United States is $72,990, or $35.09 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $43,330, and the top 10% earn $157,790.
How many commercial divers are employed in the U.S.?
About 3,450 people work as commercial divers nationwide.
Which state pays commercial divers the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $161,800, followed by New York ($157,800) and Rhode Island ($126,320).
Which state pays commercial divers the least?
Texas has the lowest median at $46,490.
Where are commercial divers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Vermont at 11.38×.