Commercial Divers Salary
Commercial Divers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL make a median of $55,440 a year, or about $26.65 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $48,563 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 63.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About commercial divers
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What this looks like in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Pay for commercial divers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 62.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 114.16), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for commercial diverss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial divers in metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Entry-level commercial divers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial Divers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Commercial Divers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $162K | +122% | N/A |
| New York | $158K | +116% | 170 |
| Rhode Island | $126K | +73% | N/A |
| California | $102K | +39% | 310 |
| Hawaii | $96K | +31% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +19% | N/A |
| Arizona | $86K | +18% | N/A |
| Vermont | $86K | +18% | 80 |
| Indiana | $84K | +14% | N/A |
| Maine | $75K | +2% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $64K | -13% | N/A |
| Missouri | $63K | -14% | N/A |
| Virginia | $62K | -15% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $62K | -15% | 230 |
| Connecticut | $60K | -18% | 120 |
| Michigan | $55K | -25% | 80 |
| Florida | $50K | -32% | 370 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -33% | 30 |
| Texas | $46K | -36% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 19 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track commercial divers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial diver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 62.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,436/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial divers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial divers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,600/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 94% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is commercial diver a high-paying job in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $55K here vs. $73K nationally.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for commercial divers?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do commercial divers make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $55,440 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,330, and experienced commercial divers can clear $73,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,882/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 62.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a commercial divers salary go in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median commercial divers salary is worth about $48,563 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do commercial divers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
