Career comparison
Commercial Diver vs. Welder
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Commercial divers earn more at the median ($72,990 vs. $53,750), while welders usually get to work faster (3–18 months of training). Commercial divers work underwater to build, inspect and repair docks, pipelines and structures. Welders join and cut metal with MIG, TIG and stick welding for construction and manufacturing.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Commercial Diver | Welder | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $72,990 ($35.09/hr) | $53,750 ($25.84/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $43,330 – $157,790 | $39,240 – $77,530 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +4.8% (about as fast as average) | +2.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 400 | 40,300 |
| Typical entry education | Postsecondary nondegree award | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | Diving school plus tending experience | 3–18 months |
| Key credential | ADCI certification | AWS Certified Welder |
| Work setting | Divers work in harbors, rivers, lakes, dams and offshore.. | Welders work in fabrication shops, factories, shipyards, construction sites and refineries, sometimes outdoors or at heights. |
What each job does
Commercial Diver
- Inspect underwater structures
- Weld and cut underwater
- Install equipment
- Repair docks and pipelines
- Recover objects
Welder
- Read blueprints, specifications and weld symbols
- Prepare, clean and fit metal parts
- Set up welding equipment and select processes and settings
- Weld components in flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead positions
- Cut metal with oxy-fuel or plasma torches
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, physical work, and working outdoors. Both are part of the skilled trades & construction field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose commercial diver if…
- I love the water
- I stay calm in danger
- I’m physically fit
Choose welder if…
- I like making things with my hands
- I have a steady hand and patience for precise work
- Heat, sparks and noise don’t bother me
Still torn? Take the Commercial Diver fit quiz and the Welder fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, commercial diver or welder?
Commercial Divers earn more at the median: $72,990 versus $53,750 for welders, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Welders typically train faster (3–18 months) than commercial divers (Diving school plus tending experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects commercial divers to grow +4.8% from 2025–35, compared with +2.4% for welders.