Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 37K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$92,460
Median hourly
$44
Average annual
$103,720
Typical range
$47,420–$170,640
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is $92,460 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $44 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S.
Most earn between $47,420 and $170,640 a year. There are roughly 37K people employed as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
- Hourly
- $44.45
- Daily
- $356
- Weekly
- $1,778
- Bi-weekly
- $3,556
- Monthly
- $7,705
- Annual
- $92,460
$92,460 a year is around the 50th percentile for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselss. The median is $92,460.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Maryland$138,950
- 2Tennessee$132,710
- 3Louisiana$117,160
- 4Texas$111,390
- 5California$110,090
- 6New York$104,800
- 7Mississippi$104,220
- 8Washington$103,730
- 9Iowa$97,700
- 10Oregon$97,050
- 11Indiana$92,000
- 12New Jersey$90,310
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$130,380
- 2Baton Rouge, LA$129,260
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$124,610
- 4New Orleans-Metairie, LA$121,710
- 5Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA$120,810
- 6Lake Charles, LA$119,630
- 7Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$118,830
- 8Lafayette, LA$116,200
- 9Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$113,850
- 10Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$113,850
- 11Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$113,260
- 12Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$112,320
Related job titles
Employers advertise Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels does
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make?
- The median annual wage for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is $92,460 ($44 per hour). Pay ranges from about $47,420 at the 10th percentile to $170,640 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $103,720, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselss the most?
- Maryland has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $138,950.
- Is Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 37K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels do?
- 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..