Commercial Divers Salary
Commercial Divers in Virginia make a median of $62,340 a year, or about $29.97 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $65,766 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Virginia?
About commercial divers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Pay for commercial divers in Virginia runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 40.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for commercial diverss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level commercial divers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial Divers salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $63K | +1% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track commercial divers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial diver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 40.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial divers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,712/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Virginia?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $62K here vs. $73K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for commercial divers?
Virginia pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do commercial divers make in Virginia?
The median is $62,340 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,200, and experienced commercial divers can clear $97,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,088/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 40.3% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median commercial divers salary is worth about $65,766 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.