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
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is a professional role in the Transportation and Material Moving job family, focused on Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
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 salary by industry
Sectors 48 and 49 – Transportation and Warehousing
28,200 workers
$110,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS
2,400 workers
$97,000
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
1,300 workers
$81,500
Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation)
1,250 workers
$96,000
Construction
1,010 workers
$98,500
State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
740 workers
$99,500
Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
580 workers
$92,500
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
570 workers
$140,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pays 57% above the average across 50 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $68,500).
Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
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 $68,500 across 50 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.
