These days it’s very rare to find a job that can pay you in hefty with less education requirement. However, underwater welding is a one of them. This job can pay you that much which allowed you to work for months somewhere in deep down offshore and can be on vacations for rest of the year. Underwater welding takes less amount of time to learn but years to be a perfectionist in it. Most of the underwater welders start their journey in diving schools as certified divers. Underwater welders can earn some serious money if they hit on the right location geographically. According to Economic Research Institute (ERI) the Indian underwater wages vary from INR 5, 00,000 to INR 15, 00,000 or even more depending upon various factors when taken into considerations. The person having experience in this field has experienced dramatically increased income. This earning also includes salary of all commercial projects related to diving since underwater welding is another portion of divers work.
If you are concerned about earning more in this field, make sure you begin with right career path in the underwater welding. It takes several years, comparatively less than many white collars jobs, of experience to get a hefty paycheck.
What Decides Salary of Underwater Welder’s ?
The several parameters which decides the underwater welder salary are-
1. Work Experience-
Everything comes second, experience comes first. Diving and welding experience is the biggest determiners when it comes to the salary point of view. Salary in any organization is always directly proportional to your work experience in that field but in this, the turnover rate is very high, so hitting 5 years of experience more look like a decade in many white collar jobs. Internationally in USA a welder start with laborious and taxing job for 1-2 years to gain experience. Where they work offshore, away from family and land for months working for 10-12 hrs in a day. And after several years of hard work there is a bump in the salary.
2. Certification –
Experience is not always enough. You also need to be certified with new and top- notch skill set to earn more. Also, while applying for new jobs some industries need certification and it also shows non- resistance to changing techniques. Once you are done with the course and certification, you will have two choices between offshore or onshore.
3. Environment-
Your project may include many challenges that are out of your hand and control.There are many factors which can increase your pay but most common is zero degree in visibility, high wave currents, and very low temperature.
4. Depth of the Dive and Work –
As per the sources, your salary is directly proportional to the depth of the dive. It increases foot by foot. Usually, in the USA they pay $1 -$4 per foot additionally. Those who go for saturation dive, also require extensive training and experience, earn hefty bonus because of their time and physical strain on body.
Also Read:
- Gas Welding : Principle, Working, Equipment, Application, Advantages and Disadvantages
- Electron Beam Welding : Principle, Working, Equipment’s, Application, Advantages and Disadvantages
- MIG Welding: Principle, Working, Equipment’s, Applications, Advantages and Disadvantages
5. Distance Offshore –
As you move away from inland to offshore welding area, there are relatively less medical facilities, high pressure, and more taxing environment. The increase in salary also gets reflected. Typically in India people get onshore jobs, but there are offshore jobs too where obviously you will get high pay, like in Mumbai high fields, a oil rig, which is 176km off the west coast of Mumbai. Operated and controlled by ONGC.
6. Dive Methods-
Diving methods also define your pay scale. There are mainly 2 ways one can dive: Scuba diving, surface supplied air. Scuba diving with welding is more independent as compared to other. So pay scale is relatively higher of welding involve scuba diving.
7. Overtime –
You must have heard about trading time for money. And that’s really having a hefty benefit in this field. Working on an offshore projects, where you are generally work for 10-12 hrs a day underwater continuously 1-2 week have seen additional 50% amount in the salary.
Salary Based on Country and location
Many underwater welders work internationally to earn a good amount of money. A large proportion of these welders like to work at offshore. If we compare the work and earning at offshore projects in India and USA this surely blow up your mind.
India
| Entry Level Salary (1-3 year) | 5,42,652 INR |
| Average Base Salary | 7,54,754 INR |
| Senior Level Salary( 8+ year experience) | 9,48,861 INR |
| Average Bonus per year | 17,737 INR |
| Average Hourly Rate | 363 INR |
According to ERI, the estimated salary of underwater welder will increase by 68% by 2025 and will hit the mark of INR 12, 66,068 (Average salary).
If we talk about the level of education for underwater welders it has been seen that the majority are from high school. Around 65% have high school level of education, 15% from Bachelors, and 20% from Associate.
USA
The average underwater welder’s salary per year and on hour’s basis is given in the table.
| Entry Level Salary (1-3 year) | $60,537 USD |
| Average Base Salary | $85,497 USD |
| Senior Level Salary( 8+ year experience) | $105,853 USD |
| Average Bonus per year | $2,009 USD |
| Average Hourly Rate | $41 USD |
The estimated salary of underwater welder will increase by 16% by 2025 and will hit the mark of $99,115 USD (Average salary).
In this article, you have got a brief idea about underwater welder salary and what are the factors that decide their salary. If you liked this piece of info then please like and share it.