How much do underwater welders make?
Underwater welders make about $72,990 a year at the median and $88,320 on average, based on BLS wage estimates for commercial divers in May 2025.[oews_diver][oews_trades] BLS has no separate underwater-welder category: O*NET’s definition of commercial divers says they may use torches and welding equipment, and the job titles it reports for the occupation include underwater welder, hard hat diver and saturation diver.[onet_diver] So the diver figures are the closest official pay data for the job.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $43,330 | $20.83 | $36,996 |
| 25th | $54,810 | $26.35 | $46,220 |
| Median | $72,990 | $35.09 | $60,178 |
| 75th | $101,550 | $48.82 | $80,270 |
| 90th | $157,790 | $75.86 | $119,115 |
| Mean (average) | $88,320 | $42.46 | $70,963 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax. Hourly figures divide by BLS’s 2,080-hour year.
At the median, an underwater welder keeps about $60,178 a year, or $5,015 a month, after 2026 federal taxes.[irs][ssa] A diver at the 90th percentile keeps about $119,115.
Why underwater welder pay ranges so widely
Underwater welder pay has the widest spread of any trade we track: the 90th percentile is 3.6 times the 10th, against 2.0 times for welders on land.[oews_trades][onet_weld] That is one reason online figures disagree so much: the occupation spans job titles from diver tender to saturation diver, and BLS does not split pay by title.[onet_diver] The median is the safer planning number; the average is pulled up by the highest earners.
Two more limits apply to the data. BLS counts only 3,450 commercial-diver jobs nationally, a small sample, and its wages exclude overtime, per diem and self-employment income.[oews_diver][oews_faq] Read the figures as base pay for employed divers.
Underwater welder vs pipe welder salary
A pipe welder salary is not published separately either; pipe welders are counted with welders, cutters, solderers and brazers, who earn a median $53,750 with the top 10% above $77,530.[onet_weld] Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, who also join and weld pipe, earn a median $63,800.[onet_plumb] The underwater median of $72,990 is $19,240 above the land-welder median, and the gap grows at the top.
| Occupation | Median | 75th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial divers (underwater welders) | $72,990 | $101,550 | $157,790 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, brazers | $53,750 | $63,010 | $77,530 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters | $63,800 | $85,110 | $108,420 |
Full land-welding pay by state and metro is on the welder salary page; pipefitting is on plumber salary.
What it takes to become an underwater welder
To become an underwater welder you need both skills: welding and commercial diving. Federal OSHA rules for commercial diving apply wherever diving is done in connection with employment, including construction and ship repair.[osha401] Under those rules every dive team member must have the experience or training for the assigned tasks, including the tools and systems used, the diving mode, and diving operations and emergency procedures, and must be trained in CPR and first aid; members exposed to hyperbaric conditions must also be trained in diving physics and physiology.[osha410]
- Welding first. Most divers learn to weld on land; costs for welding programs are on welding school cost.
- Commercial diving training. OSHA sets what a diver must be trained in, not a specific school; employers decide which training they accept.[osha410]
- Start as a tender. New divers are assigned tasks that match their training; extra tasks are allowed only under direct supervision of an experienced dive team member.[osha410]
Compare underwater welding with other top-paying work on highest paying trades, which ranks commercial divers against 29 other skilled trades.
Frequently asked questions
How much do underwater welders make a year?
About $72,990 at the median and $88,320 on average, using BLS May 2025 pay for commercial divers. The top 10% earn over $157,790.
How much do underwater welders make an hour?
The median is $35.09 an hour, before overtime.
What is the average pipe welder salary?
BLS does not split out pipe welders. Welders overall earn a median $53,750; pipefitters $63,800.
Do underwater welders make more than regular welders?
Yes. The commercial-diver median is $19,240 higher than the welder median, and $80,260 higher at the 90th percentile.
Sources
- Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025: 49-9092 Commercial Divers
- OEWS May 2025 national wage percentiles, mean wage and employment for 30 skilled-trade occupations (OEUN series), Public Data API v2
- Summary Report for 49-9092.00, Commercial Divers (uses welding equipment; reported titles include underwater welder)
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)
- Local Wages: 51-4121.00 Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 47-2152.00 Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (state and metro percentiles)
- 29 CFR 1910.401, Scope and application of the commercial diving standard (Subpart T)
- 29 CFR 1910.410, Qualifications of dive team (training in tools, diving mode, emergency procedures; CPR and first aid)