How to become an underwater diver
Official title: Underwater diver
Also called: Commercial diver, Construction diver, Deep sea diver, Divemaster, Frogman (salvage), Offshore diver, Underwater salvage worker, Commercial diver, Construction diver, Underwater salvage worker
Underwater diver works under the surface of water, with or without the aid of underwater breathing apparatus, to inspect, install, repair and remove equipment and structures, conduct tests or experiments, rig explosives, photograph structures or marine life, collect various forms of aquatic life for commercial or research purposes, and find and recover missing items and persons.
Main tasks
- Taking safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths, and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin
- Checking and maintaining diving equipment such as helmets, masks, air tanks, diving suits, harnesses and gauges
- Descending into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits
- Working underwater to lay and repair bridges, piers and harbour-wall foundations
- Inspecting for suspected damage and making minor repairs to ships’ hulls and underwater installations
- Reporting on the condition of wrecked ships
- Removing underwater obstructions
- Drilling holes for underwater blasting
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $48,360 a year. The middle half earn $39,840 to $71,700 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
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Questions people ask
How much does an underwater diver earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $48,360 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $39,840 to $71,700.
Will AI change the work of an underwater diver?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026