Life As a Captain, Mate, or Pilot of a Water Vessel
Position 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
- Harbor Tug Captain
- Harbor Pilot
- Tow Boat Captain
- Tugboat Captain
- Ferryboat Captain
Is There Going to be Demand for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels?
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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,400 job openings in this field each 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 salary for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels ranges between about $35,410 and $144,690 a year.

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 |
Where Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Work

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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