Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
Also called: Boat Captain · Captain · Ferry Boat Captain · First Mate · Harbor Pilot · Mate
Median pay (national)
$85,540
$46,260–$164,230 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
35,390
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+0.5%
~4,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
Postsecondary nondegree award
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $164,230 versus $46,260 at the bottom 10% — 3.6x. The median of $85,540 leaves roughly 92% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +0.5% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 4,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 40 states with released data, Mississippi pays the most for this role (median $112,670, +32% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $36,080 — a 212% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Monitoring, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
- Arrange for ships to be fueled, restocked with supplies, or repaired.
- Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.
- Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
- Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
- Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
- Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.
- Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
- Direct or coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading or unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, or operating, maintaining, or repairing ship equipment.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Office software
- Apple macOS
- Autodesk Revit
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- FURUNO navigational chart software
- Groundwater modeling system GMS
- Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
- JRC navigation software
- KNMI TurboWin
- Log book software
- Maptech The CAPN
- Microsoft Office Outlook
- Navigational chart software
- SHIPNEXT
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
Knowledge areas
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Geography
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service