Skilled Trades

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.

Median salary

$85,540

Typical range

$46k – $164k

Job outlook

+1% (about average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Education

Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)

Junior Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
Entry / Junior
$46,260
~2 yrs to advance
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
Established
$85,540
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
Senior
$124,885

•Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
•Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
•Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
•Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
•Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.

Any field

Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.