A centrifugal pump stage with increased compressive load capacity is provided. In an implementation, a centrifugal pump stage includes a diffuser with outside wall capable of supporting increased axial forces. A mating surface of the outer wall can support axial forces generated by a stack of subsequent pump stages across the entire thickness of the outer wall. The diffuser can be a two-piece assembly including a load bearing module and a flow diffusing module. The load bearing module may be a cylinder of strong tubular alloy while the flow diffusing module can be separately cast in a manner that improves hydraulic efficiency. Various means for radially positioning the pump stages relieve the load bearing module from the task of aligning additional pump stages. A single rigid tube may also be used as the load bearing module for multiple pump stages. The tube may be made with a thin wall to increase pump volume.