Also called: Salvor, Wreck Salvage Diver
Raises sunken boats, refloats grounded ships, and recovers cargo and wreckage.
Salvage divers patch holes, pump out flooded hulls, and rig lift bags and cranes to bring wrecks back to the surface, sometimes racing against storms or leaking fuel.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 2 years after high school. Commercial diving school (e.g., Divers Institute of Technology, CDA Technical Institute, The Ocean Corporation, or Santa Barbara City College's Marine Diving Technology program) with ADCI certification; many come from Navy diving.
Ways in: Trade school, Certification, Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Commercial Diving (trade school).
Growing much faster than average (about 9% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. Every wreck is different and physical; sonar and ROVs help find it, but patching and rigging stay human.
Classes: Physical education and swimming, Shop class, Physics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 49-9092.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.