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#3936
How much is your SCUBA Instructor worth?
seawolfdiving - 8/05/2010 8:10 PM
Category: Survey
Replies: 60

Open Water SCUBA certification programs are offered worldwide and by a number of certification agencies. During the Open Water SCUBA program (most of them) the student learns a variety of skills which include watermanship, assembling , using and handling the basic problems associated with using the basic SCUBA kit, hyperbaric physiology (albeit very basic), some underwater physics (again very basic), some self and buddy rescue skills, U/W communications, etc…. The actual list of skills that a student is supposed to learn is a bit longer than I can list on this page. Suffice it to say that the SCUBA Instructor is tasked with teaching the student how to use advanced, sophisticated, and very reliable “life-support” systems and associated equipment in order to survive and function in a “hostile environment” Keeping this in mind…. The question is “How much is a fair wage to pay your SCUBA Instructor”? Most golfers that I know never even blink at paying the golf pro $40, $50, or even more per hour for help at improving their swing….
#1207
Div4fun - 9/23/2010 4:28 AM
[Choose #5] Since I am an instructor, I’ll not put in my 2 cents. I do; however, believe that MY intructors were worth their weight in gold. Without them, I would never have been in the position to do what I love for a living.
#80
Aquaman69 - 9/22/2010 7:34 AM
[Choose #5] Me $100 an hour 4 hours Im your friend for life
#2904
AOW_dude - 9/06/2010 4:42 PM
[Choose #5] I’m guilty of shelling out half a grand for my OW certification dives and 3 private pool sessions (theory not included). Felt a bit steep but I enjoyed the personal attention you get with the private lessons.
#2242
MDW - 8/26/2010 2:08 PM
[Choose #4] I’d pay $30 or $40 an hour for a good instructor... but sadly $10 an hour is all the value provided by many OW instructors whose goal is volume of students processed over quality of instructional content.
#95
ScubaJoe00420 - 8/23/2010 10:43 AM
[Choose #5] The are not worth anything. Just diving with experenced divers can teach you all you need to know.
#3515
Nesher - 8/19/2010 12:48 PM
[Choose #5] It depends on the type of instruction but above $20.00 is my general belief
#8590
dalehall - 8/18/2010 3:32 PM
[Choose #5] Mine is priceless as far as I’m concerned. But,since the classes have different people with different learning abilities, I’m glad they are a set fee and not an hourly rate. Only 1 on 1 would hourly even begin to make sense.
#1523
knightddiver - 8/17/2010 11:26 AM
[Choose #5] I do not think you can put a hourly rate on this unless it is 1 on 1 private lessons, most scuba is taught in a classroom situation and on a per lesson basis, hard to set a hourly rate as it could vary by a lot depending on # of students.
#211
rsuave - 8/16/2010 7:55 AM
[Choose #4] Inland Water Divers, AZ! My instructor and all the staff were exceptional and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Very friendly and always, ALWAYS willing to help and answer questions. As Ron suggest it is an invaluable service they provide. $$$
#124
neilcp - 8/15/2010 11:52 PM
[Choose #5] Priceless! As part of BSAC, our instructors give up their time to teach without any compensation. This is done purely out of passion for the sport, and dedication to assisting those in the lower rungs of diving experience!
#834
binobanana - 8/11/2010 7:36 PM
[Choose #5] i go all the way with my one! Divemaster
#4377
Catman - 8/11/2010 12:02 PM
[Choose #5] That would depend on the student, even at 20 an hour some students would get off real cheap. There are some student that should have to pay more because they catch on slower, but then you would have to deal with the discrimination lawsuits.
#5471
DiveBuddyChgo - 8/09/2010 6:38 PM
[Choose #1] The Dive Instructor doesn’t make anything per hour. They teach for the love of the sport.
#5700
dirtguy49 - 8/07/2010 10:28 AM
[Choose #5] Well yes, the Instructor Cert is worth something, but since PADI and others make big bucks out of turning out more and more instructors, the value is deminished. It is basic Capitalism 101, supply and demand.......
#506
steelheadfish - 8/06/2010 8:24 PM
[Choose #4] if he is a good instructor big bucks but really most instructors ive met ehhhh not so good
#5687
tshark - 8/06/2010 5:20 PM
[Choose #5] How much is your life worth?
#3062
Indiana - 8/06/2010 4:47 PM
[Choose #5] All depends.group lesson would be far cheaper 10 a hour private about 40 a hour
#4853
Granitehawk - 8/06/2010 3:28 PM
[Choose #2] per student
#51828
Greg - 8/06/2010 8:49 AM
[Choose #4] I say $100 an hour :) I’m an instructor so I’m a bit biased.
#5748
scubaTim50 - 8/06/2010 7:37 AM
[Choose #3] It depend alot of boat costs also I think. But just an instuctor, should get around 20 an hour would be good pay.