Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by state
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is a professional role within the function in the Transportation and Material Moving job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
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.
Top skills:Operation and ControlSpeakingMonitoringOperations MonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pay by experience level
Entry level$49,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$66,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$95,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$131,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$176,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+0.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
4,300
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by industry
Water Transportation
14,610 workers
$116,000
Inland Water Transportation
9,970 workers
$119,500
Support Activities for Transportation
9,290 workers
$117,000
Support Activities for Water Transportation
8,720 workers
$116,000
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation
4,640 workers
$108,500
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation
4,290 workers
$73,500
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water
4,240 workers
$73,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
2,400 workers
$97,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
1,250 workers
$96,000
Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries
1,170 workers
$84,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $77,130 to $92,460.
+19.9% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$49,000
Early career25th percentile
$66,000
Median50th percentile
$95,500
Experienced75th percentile
$131,500
Top earners90th percentile
$176,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Operation and ControlSpeakingMonitoringOperations MonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingCritical Thinking
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$107,500
2027$111,500
2028$115,000
2029$119,000
2030$123,500
2031$127,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make?
The median market pay for a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in the United States is about $107,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels?
Most Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pay falls between about $66,000 (25th percentile) and $131,500 (75th percentile), with top earners above $176,500.
What does a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels do?
Core responsibilities include: direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards; and prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
Is pay for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $77,130 in 2020 to $92,460 in 2025, a change of +19.9% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pays 56% above the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).
Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make?
The average base salary for a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in the United States is $107,500 per year, or about $51.68 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $66,000 and $131,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Transportation and Material Moving roles?
The Transportation and Material Moving job family averages $69,000 across 53 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
