Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in the U.S. is $92,460 ($44.45 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $92,460
- Mean annual wage
- $103,720
- Median hourly wage
- $44.45
- Employment
- 36,850
36,850 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,420 | $22.80 |
| 25th percentile | $63,880 | $30.71 |
| Median (50th) | $92,460 | $44.45 |
| 75th percentile | $127,180 | $61.14 |
| 90th percentile | $170,640 | $82.04 |
Highest-paying states for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $138,950 | 450 |
| Tennessee | $132,710 | 940 |
| Louisiana | $117,160 | 6,830 |
| Texas | $111,390 | 3,400 |
| California | $110,090 | 2,420 |
| New York | $104,800 | 1,930 |
| Mississippi | $104,220 | 570 |
| Washington | $103,730 | 1,560 |
| Iowa | $97,700 | 80 |
| Oregon | $97,050 | 350 |
Lowest-paying states
- Utah: $50,010 median annual wage
- Michigan: $53,590 median annual wage
- Ohio: $56,070 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $57,660 median annual wage
- Arizona: $58,700 median annual wage
About this occupation
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
Typical tasks
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
- Supervise crews in cleaning or maintaining decks, superstructures, or bridges.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
- Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 5.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 35.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 20.1% |
| Associate's degree | 8.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.5% |
| Master's degree | 6.7% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.