Ave pay for DMs and Instructors?

[sidneydiver]

I DM for a friend of mine who is an instructor. I don't get paid nor do I expect to be. I do it because I enjoy it and I learn from it. From time to time he will pay for a dive for me to say thanks and I recently got a gift certificate from a couple of our students which I didn't see coming at all, it was a lovely surprise. I hope to become an instructor at some point in the next year or so and I don't expect that I'll make any money from that either!

[Jason]

WHAT!! Instructors get paid?


Thats it.... Get my agent on the phone, Ill be in my trailer!

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by downunder

I have seen multiple dive shops with "help wanted" signs up for Dive Masters and Instructors. What is the average pay out there for these positions? I assume it is flat rate based upon number of students or flat per class??? Just considering going all the way and instructing on the side, but something has to pay the bills at the end of the tunnel!!! Thanks.

As a DM you may not break even at the end of the year. You have to buy insurance at about $300 per year. You will be lucky to make $300 God news is that it's a great tax write off. All of your training and gear and other expenses count to a bussines loss that you can write off.
Many DMs here work for just a barter: Work a boat then get a free
boat trip, free fills and some gear at discount but no cash paymants.
Other Dms get paid maybe $50 per day. This is in So Cal.

Instuctors do better. One shop I know pays a flat fee of $100 per student. That is still lessthen minimum wage

If yo work at a vacation dive spot I think yu can make some good tips.

[DirtyWaterIL]

Free air

[Dive-aholic]

Originally Posted by DirtyWaterIL

Free air

Not at the shop I used to DM for. I still had to pay for air fills!

[DPJ]

I worked as a Dive Master for a local shop. Pay was "discounted gear", free air and the "free trip" when you assited with a class. The freebies and discounts covered the dive insurance costs, but that was all. This was in Atlanta, maybe better in a coastal location. I was paid minimum wage to stand in the shop and watch the cash register.