Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Maryland$143,980
- Tennessee$132,020
- California$129,580
- Louisiana$119,980
- Indiana$114,900
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Utah$53,670
- Michigan$62,290
- Ohio$64,010
- Arizona$69,200
- South Carolina$70,300
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $143,980 | $138,950 | $69 | +38.8% | 450 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $132,020 | $132,710 | $63 | +27.3% | 940 |
| 3 | California | $129,580 | $110,090 | $62 | +24.9% | 2,420 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $119,980 | $117,160 | $58 | +15.7% | 6,830 |
| 5 | Indiana | $114,900 | $92,000 | $55 | +10.8% | 1,010 |
| 6 | Texas | $112,180 | $111,390 | $54 | +8.2% | 3,400 |
| 7 | Mississippi | $111,940 | $104,220 | $54 | +7.9% | 570 |
| 8 | New York | $108,420 | $104,800 | $52 | +4.5% | 1,930 |
| 9 | Washington | $103,890 | $103,730 | $50 | +0.2% | 1,560 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $99,540 | $90,310 | $48 | -4% | 510 |
| 11 | Oregon | $97,140 | $97,050 | $47 | -6.3% | 350 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $95,590 | $75,810 | $46 | -7.8% | 380 |
| 13 | Alaska | $94,450 | $88,230 | $45 | -8.9% | 710 |
| 14 | Virginia | $92,850 | $87,610 | $45 | -10.5% | 2,270 |
| 15 | Iowa | $91,380 | $97,700 | $44 | -11.9% | 80 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $89,750 | $75,870 | $43 | -13.5% | 70 |
| 17 | Missouri | $88,920 | $83,670 | $43 | -14.3% | 420 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $88,660 | $80,920 | $43 | -14.5% | 110 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $87,950 | $85,290 | $42 | -15.2% | 110 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $87,230 | $79,110 | $42 | -15.9% | 30 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $85,830 | $77,950 | $41 | -17.2% | 650 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $85,220 | $76,790 | $41 | -17.8% | 250 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $85,140 | $74,390 | $41 | -17.9% | 170 |
| 24 | Florida | $84,720 | $76,040 | $41 | -18.3% | 5,040 |
| 25 | Georgia | $84,640 | $77,090 | $41 | -18.4% | 220 |
| 26 | Illinois | $83,930 | $69,600 | $40 | -19.1% | 900 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $82,220 | $61,420 | $40 | -20.7% | 580 |
| 28 | Alabama | $80,400 | $68,920 | $39 | -22.5% | 350 |
| 29 | Delaware | $79,840 | $73,280 | $38 | -23% | 50 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $79,360 | $72,960 | $38 | -23.5% | 700 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $79,180 | $69,170 | $38 | -23.7% | 490 |
| 32 | Vermont | $76,590 | $64,020 | $37 | -26.2% | 40 |
| 33 | Maine | $74,300 | $72,770 | $36 | -28.4% | 360 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $70,300 | $57,660 | $34 | -32.2% | 520 |
| 35 | Arizona | $69,200 | $58,700 | $33 | -33.3% | 40 |
| 36 | Ohio | $64,010 | $56,070 | $31 | -38.3% | 420 |
| 37 | Michigan | $62,290 | $53,590 | $30 | -39.9% | 640 |
| 38 | Utah | $53,670 | $50,010 | $26 | -48.3% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 97 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $130,380 | $127,740 | 800 |
| 2 | Baton Rouge, LA | $129,260 | $149,980 | 900 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,610 | $132,650 | 440 |
| 4 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $121,710 | $118,450 | 1,940 |
| 5 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $120,810 | $122,670 | 580 |
| 6 | Lake Charles, LA | $119,630 | $107,720 | 150 |
| 7 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $118,830 | $116,660 | 2,550 |
| 8 | Lafayette, LA | $116,200 | $119,080 | 270 |
| 9 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $113,850 | $122,290 | 60 |
| 10 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $113,850 | $112,410 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $166,020 | $154,450 | 250 |
| 2 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $166,020 | $158,520 | 240 |
| 3 | Utility System Construction | $134,590 | $122,160 | — |
| 4 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $130,600 | $144,210 | 290 |
| 5 | Freight Transportation Arrangement | $128,900 | $136,930 | — |
| 6 | Support Activities for Mining | $125,270 | $137,050 | 550 |
| 7 | Support Activities for Mining | $125,270 | $137,050 | 550 |
| 8 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $125,270 | $135,130 | 570 |
| 9 | Inland Water Transportation | $105,650 | $115,630 | 9,970 |
| 10 | Support Activities for Transportation | $103,430 | $113,180 | 9,290 |
| 11 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $102,500 | $108,580 | 110 |
| 12 | Support Activities for Water Transportation | $102,440 | $111,970 | 8,720 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in the U.S.?
The median captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary in the United States is $92,460 per year (mean $103,720), and about 80% earn between $47,420 and $170,640.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make per hour?
Roughly $50 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $103,720 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels the most?
Maryland has the highest average pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels at $143,980 per year (median $138,950).
What is the job outlook for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Employment is projected to change +0.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 4,300 openings per year.