what is average scuba diving course cost

by Sage Schmitt MD 4 min read

What Is The Average Cost Of Scuba Diving? The cost of an introductory dive with a guide ranges between $70 and $200 while the cost of an open water diving course with a scuba instructor ranges from $200 to $600. You can take online courses in scuba diving certification beginning at your own pace for as little as $0.01 and as much as US$200.

For beginners, it costs around $70 to $200 to do a single introductory dive with a guide and between $200 and $600 or more to do an open water diving course with a scuba instructor. Online courses are available to begin your scuba diving certification journey at your own pace and range from $0 to $200.

Full Answer

How much does it cost to become a scuba diver?

As I discuss on my certification page prices for the course and pool work portion of your scuba diving certification can range anywhere from around $200 to several hundred. I think $250-$350 is probably about average for the course and pool portion. If you take the book portion online through PADI, the course currently costs $195.

How much does it cost to go scuba diving?

Mar 23, 2021 · Following are some of the scuba diving training costs involved across the globe Usually, it cost between $350 and $450 in the Midwest U.S. US$70-180 is charged normally for theory diving classes by local dive centers in the U.S.A. Also, you should note that different water agencies charge different rates.

How much does scuba diving lessons cost?

Dec 15, 2021 · How much does it cost to scuba dive? The cost to learn to scuba dive will be between $350 and $700. You may pay as little as $10 to do a shore dive, and between $50 and $150 for a two tank boat dive. Rent your gear for between $20 to $40 a day, until you are sure you want to buy your own. These amounts may be staggering to many.

How much does a scuba diving certification cost?

Nov 23, 2021 · Dive schools offer this portion of the instruction in a classroom, but it is also often provided online, so you can learn scuba diving theory from anywhere. Time and cost estimate: 12-15 hours, $150-$200 Scuba Instruction in a Pool The next step in scuba certification is real-world instruction in a swimming pool.

Training and Certification

A big question that you can expect from a new diver when he approaches the trainer for scuba diving is about the cost of training. However, you have some more cost involved in scuba diving asides from training costs. Let us see the cost involved in the training and certification of scuba diving.

What About Scuba Diving Gear Cost?

It is quite common that most scuba dive centers charge the trainees for the diving gear along with the course fee. It means the gear cost is also included with the course fee. Some centers do not openly say this and it is taken as a hidden fee.

Cost Per Scuba Dive

The cost per scuba dive changes from one center to another. The location and the operator charge differently for scuba diving. For example, in the Caribbean islands, the cost per scuba dive costs around $75-$130. This cost is for 2 tank boat dive for an individual.

What Is The Cost To Learn How To Scuba Dive?

Scuba diving, skydiving and flying have a common trait. They are all safe activities because there are training requirements to minimize the risk.

How Much Does It Cost For Each Dive

The cost for each dive will vary greatly depending on a number of factors. These factors include location, if equipment rental is needed, if a dive guide is needed, whether it is a boat dive or shore dive and any conservation fees.

Equipment Cost

Scuba diving requires some specialized equipment, some of which can be very expensive. Divers often ponder whether they should rent gear or buy it.

Are You Ready for Scuba Diving Certification?

If you are considering scuba diving on your next vacation or just wondering if scuba diving certification is right for you, here are a few things to consider:

Is Scuba Certification Worth the Cost?

Yes. If you want to scuba dive, you need at least a beginning certification, so the cost isn’t optional.

Average Costs for Scuba Diving Certification

Costs for scuba diving certification vary based on where you learn, what you learn, and when you learn.

Conclusion

Scuba diving certification can be a life-changing experience and forever transform the way you experience and enjoy the water.

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Differences in certifications and courses

There are many differences between the different certifications and courses. Course duration, number of dives required to complete the course, cost, or how much they teach you can be found by looking at the different certifications.

How much does it cost to get certified as a Scuba Diver?

To get certified as a PADI Open Water Diver (OWD) or a PADI Advanced Open Water diver (AOWD) It will cost you somewhere between $500 and $1500.

What are the hidden costs of obtaining a diving certification?

The hidden cost is that you need to purchase equipment, and often the rental fees that you will be charged for the equipment. This is because, in order to get certified, you need to purchase some of the necessary equipment such as a mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, and a diving knife.

Saving money when getting certified in scuba diving

The thing that most scuba diving courses do not tell you is that you can actually save money by getting certified. Here’s a detailed analysis of how to get certified in scuba diving at a low cost:

After you complete the certification course what is left?

After you complete the certification course, there are still some things that you need to do. It is important to be aware of these things because they can save you a lot of money and stress later on.

Best places to dive for beginner divers

Now you are certified and very excited to go for recreational dive. You have come to the right place because we will show you some of the places that are best for beginner divers. We have listed these according to different criteria such as accessibility, cost, whether they are beaches or islands, and so on.

Conclusion

Scuba diving is an exciting and rewarding sport that requires certification to become a certified diver. This article has provided you with the information necessary for saving money when getting your scuba certificate in order to help make this process easier on your budget.

How much does it cost to get a scuba certification?

As a general rule of thumb, your scuba diving certification cost is going to be around $350-400.

What is the final step to getting a diving certification?

The final step when it comes to a beginner certification is the Open Water Diver course . You by no means have to take the previous two courses to qualify for taking this course, but if you had some of the things you had to do for the previous will transfer directly into credit for this course.

What is NAUI in diving?

NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) In most cases, a local dive shop is going to primarily teach courses and certifications from one or two of these agencies, based on the instructor certifications that their staff hold.

Is scuba diving an expensive hobby?

Scuba Diving can be an expensive hobby to pick up, but it totally depends on how far into scuba diving you would like to go. If you are mainly interested in just picking up an open water certification so that you can rent gear and dive on vacations, you can keep your cost right around what you paid for the class.

Do you spend more money on diving certification?

If you end up loving to dive and want to take your diving to the next level, you are going to end up spending more money. Each certification is going to come with it’s own cost, and the more gear you acquire, the more money you are going to spend.

Is SSI open water free?

The benefit to taking courses through SSI is that all of their online learning is totally free. With PADI you will have to purchase course books, sometimes these come with eLearning videos, in order to have the materials you need to take the course. The cost of taking an SSI open water certification course is going to largely vary based on the dive shop you take the course with. We recommend reaching out to dive centers near you to find out what the cost is going to be for you to take the SSI Open Water Diver certification course.

Why is scuba diving important?

Scuba diving allows you to go places that are outside of our normal biological means, it allows us to breathe underwater. It is a truly magical feeling and you can partake in this sport pretty much anywhere that there is water.

How do dive centers cut corners?

Another way that dive centers can cut corners is by not maintaining their compressor. A compressor compacts thousands of liters of air into a very small space – your scuba cylinder. It also pushes this air through filters that remove all the dirty stuff that is found in normal air. Cylinder air needs to be clean. This is only possible if the compressor has been serviced and the filters have been changed within their natural life span. Filters are expensive. Filters are essential and more centers than I care to admit cut corners by “squeezing” too many hours out of a filter that has gone past its safe limit. The open water course teaches us to test our air before heading into the water. Air should taste of nothing but air, very dry, very clean air. Air that tastes of anything else should be rejected. So how can you test the quality of air other than tasting it? How can you be sure that the compressor isn’t pushing horrible dirty elements into your air supply? Its simple. Ask to see the dive centers air analysis certificate. A reputable dive center will be proud to show you, most will have it on display for all to see.

What is underwater life support?

At the end of the day scuba equipment is underwater life support. You want equipment that has been maintained to the highest of standards, which has been tried and tested to keep you safe. One way that dive centers can cut corners is to not maintain their equipment.

What does an open water course teach you?

When taught correctly, your Open Water course will teach you not only the basics, but will also train you in emergency procedures and will keep you safe if ever the need arises. I don’t know about you, but I would want to know everything.

Do hoses have bubbles?

The hoses should not have bubbles coming out of anywhere except the regulator itself. Your open water course will teach you how to look for anything that is out of the ordinary. Ask to see the dive centers air analysis certificate.

Is a filter expensive?

Filters are expensive. Filters are essential and more centers than I care to admit cut corners by “squeezing” too many hours out of a filter that has gone past its safe limit. The open water course teaches us to test our air before heading into the water. Air should taste of nothing but air, very dry, very clean air.

What does "no bubbles no troubles" mean?

There is a great saying in diving: “ no bubbles – no troubles”. This refers to the equipment not leaking: Your BCD should hold air and the hoses that feed us our air supply should not leak.. For example: you want a regulator that delivers air to you without any effort. Each inhalation should be fluid and steady.

How much does it cost to get a scuba certification?

In order to become scuba certified you have to take classes. In general scuba certification cost averages around $500 to $700 dollars. This does not include the cost of renting your gear or purchasing it. It is common for people to buy their own gear since gear for scuba diving costs around $150.

What is the score for scuba diving certification?

You actually have to study a book, take quizzes, and complete your final exam with a score of 75% or better.

What is SSI certification?

SSI is a company that offers scuba certification. They have offices and dive areas located all across the world and work with a variety of clients. In fact SSI has specialty dive programs and opportunities available for people of all ages. They even set up special dive opportunities that cater specifically to children. SSI offers reasonable rates when compared to other scuba learning centers and they offer the perk of learning online before you get to the dive class. You can actually complete you reading at home and take your test before you ever start your diving lessons. This can help you get licensed faster. In addition, when it comes to scuba certification cost taking the test online is much cheaper than it is in person.

What is the first level of scuba certification?

There are many different scuba certification levels that you can take advantage of. The first level is open water diving. However, once you have mastered the initial certification you can take classes to become certified in 8 other types of diving. Consider cave diving, deep diving, ice diving, or advanced open water diving .

Can I take my SSI test before diving?

SSI offers reasonable rates when compared to other scuba learning centers and they offer the perk of learning online before you get to the dive class. You can actually complete you reading at home and take your test before you ever start your diving lessons. This can help you get licensed faster.

Can you get a scuba certification at a resort?

However, you need to keep in mind that the training you receive at a resort for a quick scuba diving session is not actual certification. Those classes only allow you to dive the one time. In order to dive whenever you want you have to complete an actual scuba diving training course.

Do you need a certification to scuba dive?

This is especially true in beach regions with reefs and tropical fish. However, in order to become a professional or private scuba diver you need to obtain certification for diving. Learning to scuba dive is actually quite simple if you choose the right scuba instructor.

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