What You Need to Know About Captain, Mate, or Pilot of a Water Vessel
Occupation Description Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
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Types of Captain, Mate, or Pilot of a Water Vessel
- Car Ferry Captain
- Docking Pilot
- River Boat Captain
- Ferry Boat Captain
- Tug Boat Captain
What Kind of Captain, Mate or Pilot Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 38,800 jobs for Captain, Mate, or Pilot of a Water Vessel in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,400 new jobs for Captain, Mate, or Pilot of a Water Vessel by 2026. There will be an estimated 4,400 positions for Captain, Mate or Pilot per year.

The states with the most job growth for Captain, Mate or Pilot are Nevada, Georgia, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Indiana, or Oregon. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
The typical yearly salary for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is somewhere between $35,410 and $144,690.

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels who work in Texas, Oregon, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $79,750 |
Alaska | $72,570 |
California | $70,840 |
Delaware | $74,790 |
Florida | $78,880 |
Georgia | $73,410 |
Hawaii | $52,830 |
Illinois | $67,020 |
Iowa | $75,600 |
Kentucky | $79,130 |
Louisiana | $93,010 |
Maine | $61,410 |
Maryland | $86,460 |
Massachusetts | $57,700 |
Michigan | $83,040 |
Minnesota | $73,910 |
New Hampshire | $51,490 |
New Jersey | $75,170 |
New York | $95,370 |
North Carolina | $55,710 |
Ohio | $47,810 |
Oregon | $100,150 |
Pennsylvania | $74,780 |
South Carolina | $67,090 |
Tennessee | $54,480 |
Texas | $103,950 |
Virginia | $77,370 |
Washington | $90,890 |
Wisconsin | $48,190 |
Who Employs Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels?

Below are examples of industries where Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels work:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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