SOC 49-9092 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Commercial Divers — Philadelphia
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Median pay for this occupation in Philadelphia, PA comes to $84,200 a year, ahead of the national median of $72,990 by 15.4%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Philadelphia, PA comes to $84,200 a year, ahead of the national median of $72,990 by 15.4%. Pay ranges from under $58,060 at the tenth percentile to more than $132,620 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $72,800 to $125,450.
The area has 50 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.83 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Of the 713 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 184th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $58,060 | −20.5% |
| 25th | $72,800 | −0.3% |
| Median (50th) | $84,200 | +15.4% |
| 75th | $125,450 | +71.9% |
| 90th | $132,620 | +81.7% |
| Mean | $98,000 | +34.3% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Philadelphia run 2.4% below the national average, so the median of $84,200 goes as far as $86,270 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 18.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$84,200as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$86,270US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $84,200 a year, 15.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $58,060 to $132,620 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 50 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Commercial Divers in Philadelphia, PA?
The median annual wage is $84,200, or $40.48 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $72,990, so pay in Philadelphia, PA is 15.4% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Philadelphia, PA earns more than $132,620 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $58,060 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 50 jobs in this occupation in Philadelphia, PA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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