How Much Scuba Diving Certification Really Costs, My Certification Journey
Scuba Diving Certification Cost
Wondering how much it really costs to get scuba certified? I have broken down my 4-day/3 night trips to Pompano Beach, Florida where I show you how much I really spent on my Padi Open Water Scuba Diving Certification. The cost for me was over $2,000!
Being a certified scuba diver is not something that was on my bingo card this year, however, I saw some videos online and decided I wanted to learn. I did watch a ton of videos on YouTube and TikTok as I was preparing and there were a few times I considered backing out cause I was getting a little nervous.
I reached out to a friend who I knew had recently gotten certified, and she recommended the South Florida Diving School. I did look into some Scuba Diving Certification schools in NYC, but due to the time of year, February, most of the scuba diving schools in NYC could only do the coursework and the pool dives, and I would need to get a referral to head to a Scuba dive shop further south to do my open water dives. Some did have trips planned that I could join to do the open-water dives, but that would happen later in the year.
Based on the information I gathered, I decided to go with the Scuba Diving Shop in Florida. However, there were many Dive shops overseas where the cost was significantly cheaper, around $550 with gear included but I didn’t realize that until after I scheduled with the shop in Florida.
The Scuba Diving Certification Process
For the Open Water Certification, which is the initial certification you need to do, you will need to complete an e-learning course or classroom option, a pool session, and four open water dives. I knew I did not want to sit in a classroom to learn the information so I made sure the chosen Scuba Diving Shop was the online PADI course.
The E-learning session was $176 with tax because the dive shop I chose, South Florida Diving School, gave a discount on the PADI course when you book through them. Normally the PADI open water course costs $246.00.
The Pool + Open Water part cost $700.00. This is a little steep, but I did not want to spend time looking around because I thought I would talk myself out of it. Most individuals pay between $350 – $1400 depending on the class size, location, and if they need to purchase gear. All of my gear was included in the price I paid, and I also had a one-on-one class for $700, which I highly recommend.
Many of the shops that had one-on-one classes were upwards of $1000.
When I called the South Florida Diving shop to get information from them and gave them the dates I was interested in getting the pool and open water section done, they found me an instructor within 30 minutes who could work with my time frame. My instructor was Danny, who I highly recommend.
The PADI Scuba Diving Certification Course
The PADI Course is divided into five sections. Each part includes text and video. In each section, you must answer some questions that are built into the section before taking a quiz that covers materials from the entire section, which you must score at least 80% on. I completed one section each weekend leading up to my open-water session. It took me about an hour to 75 minutes to complete the sections.
There were some times when I had to re-read the section because I did not understand the concepts but it is ok if you are not 100% sure as your instructor will go over everything with you!
Once you complete the sections there is a quiz on all of the material in which you have to score at least 80%. You can take the assessment as many times as you like.
Day 1 in Florida: The Pool Work + Ocean Dives 1 and 2
The first day started at 7 am at the shop. To start off we did a quiz on the information I did online and he went over any of the things that I was confused about. Next, we looked into the gear and he began to fit me for the BCD, Mask, weight, wet suit, and fins before we headed to the confined water session.
After completing this session, we took a lunch break. I should have taken a nap but I decided to walk around a bit and check out Pompano Beach.
I stopped to grab snacks and banana bread at a local shop!
After the lunch break, we headed back to the Scuba Diving Shop. I had to sign a liability waiver to take me for the first two dives at the Copenhagen/Nursery Sites. While there I got to see rays, dolphins, lobster, and a nurse shark.
Day 1 Total Cost: $771 – I did not have dinner because after the dives I fell asleep immediately.
Day 2 in Florida: Open Dives 3 and 4
The second day started at 7:30 am. My instructor had everything on the boat for me and we went over the checks before we disembarked. This day we went to Okinawa Tug Wreck and Touchdown Reef.
I saw a lobster, a nurse shark, and a ton of big fish. I realized during this dive, that I loved seeing shipwrecks. There was something about being able to explore the ruins and see how the coral has taken over that fascinated me.
Day 2 Total Cost: $85 – I tipped my instructor and had lunch. I did not have dinner again because I fell asleep.
Scuba Diving Certification Cost
| Item | Cost |
| E-Learning | $176 |
| Pool + Open Water | $721 |
| Flights | $249 + $444 (Easter weekend, it is a little high) |
| Hotel | $665.24 |
| Food | $105 |
| Tips + Amazon Purchases | $75.00 |
I did not include the cost of my Uber in this breakdown.
My Total for my Scuba Diving Certification was $2,455.24.
I stayed in a hotel, Sands Harbor Resort and Marina, which was a 3-minute walk from the Scuba Diving Shop to eliminate having to take an Uber to the shop daily. In addition, my hotel gave a daily food credit and provided breakfast. All of this helped to reduce the cost of the stay.
What’s Next After My Open Water Scuba Certification?
I am currently beginning to plan my first trip using my scuba diving certification. I want to go somewhere in the Caribbean and see more wrecks. I really loved the Dives where we got to see wrecks as opposed to the reefs. I still liked the reefs but seeing sunken ships was so cool.
In addition, I want to purchase an underwater camera like the Go Pro Here 13 or Insta 360 for my next dives. I will need to purchase some ear wash or make some because I did experience ear clogging after my dives.
I can go for additional certifications such as advanced scuba diving certification and specialty scuba certifications such as Nitrox and Rescue Diver. I have not decided if I am going to do them quite yet but I might want to do the Underwater Camera one.
FAQ:
Do you tip your scuba diving boat crew?
I was told that you tip the boat crew based on the number of tanks, at $10 a tank.
I also tipped my instructor at the end of the two days together.
What are some hidden costs to look out for?
If you are completing your dives across multiple days, you will need to stay an extra night at the hotel. So keep that in mind, and make sure you are looking for a Dive shop that can do it in 2 days so you can fly home if you need to the following day.
Also, you should consider buying products that are reef-safe for your dives so that you are protecting the environment during your time in the water.
Is your scuba diving gear included in the price of the scuba diving certification?
It depends on the shop. Mine was included. However, there are some shops where you have to have your mask, snorkel, wetsuit and fins.
Is Budget Friendly scuba diving Certification possible?
Yes! I would add it to a trip you are already taking or do it with a friend so that you can split the cost of certain items like the hotel. In addition, I used points to pay for my flights and used my Delta Stays credit to get $150 off my hotel stay.
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