Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2003

49-9092 Commercial Divers

Work below surface of water, using scuba gear to inspect, repair, remove, or install equipment and structures. May use a variety of power and hand tools, such as drills, sledgehammers, torches, and welding equipment. May conduct tests or experiments, rig explosives, or photograph structures or marine life. Exclude "Fishers and Related Fishing Workers" (45-3011), "Athletes and Sports Competitors" (27-2021), and "Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers" (33-3051).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
2,690 16.8 % $18.27 $38,000 3.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.17 $13.60 $16.48 $20.73 $28.84
Annual Wage (2) $23,240 $28,280 $34,270 $43,110 $59,990

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Other support services 440 $23.90 $49,720 1 1
Other heavy construction 280 $17.55 $36,510 2 6
Support activities for water transportation 80 $22.56 $46,930 3 3
Local government (OES designation) 40 $20.56 $42,770 4 4
General medical and surgical hospitals 40 $14.07 $29,260 5 9

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Other support services 440 $23.90 $49,720 1 1
Amusement parks and arcades 30 $22.60 $47,020 6 2
Support activities for water transportation 80 $22.56 $46,930 3 3
Local government (OES designation) 40 $20.56 $42,770 4 4
Architectural and engineering services (6) $20.33 $42,280 (6) 5

State profile for this occupation: Top

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
Louisiana 240 $17.59 $36,590 0.013% 263
Texas 780 $17.44 $36,270 0.008% 318
South Carolina 30 $14.43 $30,010 0.002% 344
California 260 $21.95 $45,660 0.002% 310
New York 60 $20.05 $41,700 0.001% 337

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
Washington (6) $29.36 $61,060 (6) 121
California 260 $21.95 $45,660 0.002% 310
New York 60 $20.05 $41,700 0.001% 337
Illinois 30 $18.44 $38,360 0.001% 335
Virginia (6) $18.02 $37,470 (6) 314

Metropolitan area profile for this occupation: Top

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
San Diego, CA MSA 60 $27.28 $56,750 0.005%
Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV PMSA 30 $19.13 $39,790 0.001%
Houston, TX PMSA (6) $17.37 $36,130 (6)

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
San Diego, CA MSA 60 $27.28 $56,750 0.005%
Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV PMSA 30 $19.13 $39,790 0.001%
Houston, TX PMSA (6) $17.37 $36,130 (6)

About May 2003 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

To see profiles of other occupations, select from the major groups below:

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable Excel files(XLS).

Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(6) Estimates not released.

All Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

2003 May National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2003 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: May 7, 2004