The median pay for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is $92,460 a year ($44.45/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.0% through 2035, with about 3,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 53-5021
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels in four numbers
- Median pay
- $92,460a year, or $44.45/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $47KTop 10% $171K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.0%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,80041,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202541.3K
- Projected 203542.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 41.3K Projected 2035 42.9K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school4.5%
- High school42%
- Certificate36.6%
- Some college5.5%
- Associate's2.2%
- Bachelor's8.4%
Highest education held by captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels Segment Value Less than high school 4.5% High school 42% Certificate 36.6% Some college 5.5% Associate's 2.2% Bachelor's 8.4%
Also advertised as: Boat Captain, Captain, Ferry Boat Captain, First Mate, Harbor Pilot, Mate.
Pay
How much do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make?
Every captain, mate, and pilot of water vessels in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$92,460
Middle half earn $63,880 to $127,180
- 10th
- $47,420
- 25th
- $63,880
- 75th
- $127,180
- 90th
- $170,640
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $47,420 |
| 25th | $63,880 |
| Median | $92,460 |
| 75th | $127,180 |
| 90th | $170,640 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $92,460
- Median hourly wage
- $44.45/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $103,720
- People employed
- 36,850
Versus all US occupations
At $92,460, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels earn 81% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $41,480 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 47% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $170,640 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,420, a gap of 3.6×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 67% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Maryland posts the highest raw median ($138,950), but once local prices are taken into account Tennessee leads at $144,454 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $138,950 | $132,385 | 450 |
| 2Tennessee | $132,710 | $144,454 | 940 |
| 3Louisiana | $117,160 | $132,824 | 6,830 |
| 4Texas | $111,390 | $114,768 | 3,400 |
| 5California | $110,090 | $99,431 | 2,420 |
| 6New York | $104,800 | $97,108 | 1,930 |
| 7Mississippi | $104,220 | $119,858 | 570 |
| 8Washington | $103,730 | $96,932 | 1,560 |
| 9Iowa | $97,700 | $111,324 | 80 |
| 10Oregon | $97,050 | $93,894 | 350 |
Job outlook
Is Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | +4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,800 openings are projected each year, 9.2% of the 41,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of water transportation workers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Fluctuations in the demand for bulk commodities, such as iron ore and grain, is a key factor influencing employment of water transportation workers. When demand for these commodities is high, the need for these workers increases; when demand slows, so does the need for workers.
Getting in
How to become a Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels
Education and training requirements for water transportation workers vary by occupation. There are no educational requirements for entry-level sailors and marine oilers, but other water transportation workers typically complete U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)-approved training programs. Most water transportation jobs require the Transportation Worker Identification Credential from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and a Merchant Mariner Credential, plus related endorsements, from the Coast Guard.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)42%
- Post-Secondary Certificate36.6%
- Bachelor's Degree8.4%
- Some College Courses5.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma4.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 42% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 36.6% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 8.4% |
| Some College Courses | 5.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 4.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels do?
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. The vessels travel to and from foreign ports across the ocean and to domestic ports along the coasts, across the Great Lakes, and along the country’s many inland waterways.
Day-to-day tasks
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
- Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
- Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
- Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures through instruction, simulators, or models.
- Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most water transportation workers are full time, and many work more than 40 hours per week. Work schedules vary, depending on the job. Some crews, such as those on barges or deep-sea ships, may spend weeks or months away from home and work on board for long periods 7 days a week. Other workers, such as motorboat operators, may have day shifts from which they return home each night.
Some water transportation work is seasonal. For example, crews who work on the Great Lakes often do not work in the winter, when the lakes freeze. Ferry and motorboat operators who service ships for vacation destinations may work only in the summer.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking3.5
- Monitoring3.5
- Active Listening3.4
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.6
- Operations Monitoring3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Coordination3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Management of Personnel Resources3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Instructing3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.6 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Facilities management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.6
- Conventional4.6
- Enterprising4.2
- Investigative2.6
- Social1.9
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels
O*NET related occupations
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More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels$92,460
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels | $92,460 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within captain, mate, and pilot of water vessels
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels appears on
Questions
Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels: frequently asked questions
How much do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make?
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels earn a median of $92,460 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 81% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $44.45/hr. The middle half earn between $63,880 and $127,180. The top 10% earn $170,640 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels do?
Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. A core O*NET task: consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels the most?
The highest state medians for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels are Maryland ($138,950), Tennessee ($132,710), Louisiana ($117,160) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Tennessee moves to the top at $144,454.
What personality type suits a Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels?
O*NET scores Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.