Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,420 | $22.80 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $92,460 | $44.45 |
| Mean (average) | $103,720 | $49.87 |
| 90th percentile | $170,640 | $82.04 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 41 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $68,920 | $30,650 | $123,860 | 350 | 0.7 |
| Alaska | $88,230 | $42,360 | $149,370 | 710 | 9.16 |
| Arizona | $58,700 | $35,700 | $119,450 | 40 | 0.05 |
| California | $110,090 | $56,060 | $348,100 | 2,420 | 0.56 |
| Connecticut | $75,810 | $48,380 | $151,800 | 380 | 0.96 |
| Delaware | $73,280 | $44,480 | $127,790 | 50 | 0.41 |
| Florida | $76,040 | $36,240 | $136,120 | 5,040 | 2.14 |
| Georgia | $77,090 | $38,640 | $121,570 | 220 | 0.19 |
| Hawaii | $72,960 | $47,550 | $115,100 | 700 | 4.73 |
| Illinois | $69,600 | $48,210 | $125,050 | 900 | 0.62 |
| Indiana | $92,000 | $59,220 | $212,820 | 1,010 | 1.34 |
| Iowa | $97,700 | $46,220 | $121,760 | 80 | 0.21 |
| Kentucky | Data unavailable | 1,060 | 2.23 | ||
| Louisiana | $117,160 | $60,480 | $206,860 | 6,830 | 14.89 |
| Maine | $72,770 | $47,640 | $104,240 | 360 | 2.37 |
| Maryland | $138,950 | $54,920 | $222,280 | 450 | 0.69 |
| Massachusetts | $77,950 | $50,960 | $127,720 | 650 | 0.75 |
| Michigan | $53,590 | $33,280 | $98,420 | 640 | 0.61 |
| Minnesota | $80,920 | $37,770 | $134,680 | 110 | 0.16 |
| Mississippi | $104,220 | $47,030 | $186,020 | 570 | 2.08 |
| Missouri | $83,670 | $31,960 | $158,510 | 420 | 0.6 |
| New Hampshire | $75,870 | $47,530 | $165,110 | 70 | 0.44 |
| New Jersey | $90,310 | $50,420 | $156,790 | 510 | 0.5 |
| New York | $104,800 | $54,850 | $165,360 | 1,930 | 0.84 |
| North Carolina | $69,170 | $43,040 | $105,880 | 490 | 0.42 |
| Ohio | $56,070 | $37,530 | $99,090 | 420 | 0.32 |
| Oklahoma | $79,110 | $55,440 | $111,570 | 30 | 0.08 |
| Oregon | $97,050 | $52,880 | $138,000 | 350 | 0.75 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,420 | $36,710 | $127,060 | 580 | 0.41 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,410 | $23,440 | $78,380 | 120 | 0.54 |
| Rhode Island | $76,790 | $39,360 | $163,510 | 250 | 2.09 |
| South Carolina | $57,660 | $27,600 | $123,840 | 520 | 0.96 |
| Tennessee | $132,710 | $60,270 | $215,470 | 940 | 1.2 |
| Texas | $111,390 | $64,850 | $170,800 | 3,400 | 1.02 |
| Utah | $50,010 | $38,160 | $62,880 | ||
| Vermont | $64,020 | $31,800 | $120,140 | 40 | 0.52 |
| Virgin Islands | $48,700 | $31,270 | $91,280 | 130 | 16.47 |
| Virginia | $87,610 | $54,560 | $132,160 | 2,270 | 2.33 |
| Washington | $103,730 | $57,350 | $153,330 | 1,560 | 1.86 |
| West Virginia | $85,290 | $39,250 | $120,320 | 110 | 0.69 |
| Wisconsin | $74,390 | $36,360 | $132,080 | 170 | 0.25 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 8.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Commercial Fishing CIP 49.0303
- Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer CIP 49.0309
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
- 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.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- FURUNO navigational chart software
- Groundwater modeling system GMS
- JRC navigation software
- Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
- KNMI TurboWin
- Log book software
- Maptech The CAPN
- Microsoft Office Outlook
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Management of Personnel Resources.
Common job titles: Boat Captain, Captain, Ferry Boat Captain, First Mate, Harbor Pilot, Mate, River Pilot, Ship Pilot, Tugboat Captain, Vessel Master.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make?
The national median annual wage for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels was $92,460 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $47,420 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $170,640. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels a growing career?
BLS projects employment of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels to change +4.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Maryland ($138,950), Tennessee ($132,710), Louisiana ($117,160). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.