What Do Ship Pilot Do?
Career Description Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits, or sounds, or on rivers, lakes, or bays. Must be licensed by U.S. Coast Guard with limitations indicating class and tonnage of vessels for which license is valid and route and waters that may be piloted.
What Do Ship Pilots Do On a Daily Basis?
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
- Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
- Provide assistance to vessels approaching or leaving seacoasts, navigating harbors, or docking and undocking.
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Maintain ship logs.
- Steer ships into or out of berths or signal tugboat captains to berth or unberth ships.
Featured schools near , edit
What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Ship Pilot?
These are the skills Ship Pilots say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Marine Pilot
- Ferryboat Pilot
- Barge Pilot
- Canal Driver
- Speedboat Driver
Job Outlook for Ship Pilots
In the United States, there were 38,800 jobs for Ship Pilot in 2016. 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 Ship Pilot 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 Ship 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.
Salary for a Ship Pilot
The average yearly salary of a Ship Pilot ranges between $35,410 and $144,690.

Ship Pilots who work in Texas, Oregon, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Ship Pilots 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 |
What Tools do Ship Pilots Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Ship Pilots may use on a daily basis:
- Log book software
- Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
- Maptech The CAPN
How to Become a Ship Pilot
What education is needed to be a Ship Pilot?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Ship Pilots Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Ship Pilots employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Those interested in being a Ship Pilot may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |