Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselssalary
Official wage statistics for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in United States, published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)), reference period May 2025. Approximately 36.85K people work in this occupation.
Wage distribution
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / lowest decile | $47,420 |
| 25th percentilelower quartile | $63,880 |
| Median (50th)typical worker | $92,460 |
| 75th percentileupper quartile | $127,180 |
| 90th percentiletop decile | $170,640 |
| Meanaverage, skews high | $103,720 |
Salary by state
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels wages vary widely by state. Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, May 2025, sorted by median. Suppressed areas omitted.
| State | Median (annual) | P10–P90 / low–high | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDMaryland | $138,950 | $54,920 – $222,280 | 450 |
| TNTennessee | $132,710 | $60,270 – $215,470 | 940 |
| LALouisiana | $117,160 | $60,480 – $206,860 | 6,830 |
| TXTexas | $111,390 | $64,850 – $170,800 | 3,400 |
| CACalifornia | $110,090 | $56,060 – $348,100 | 2,420 |
| NYNew York | $104,800 | $54,850 – $165,360 | 1,930 |
| MSMississippi | $104,220 | $47,030 – $186,020 | 570 |
| WAWashington | $103,730 | $57,350 – $153,330 | 1,560 |
| IAIowa | $97,700 | $46,220 – $121,760 | 80 |
| OROregon | $97,050 | $52,880 – $138,000 | 350 |
| INIndiana | $92,000 | $59,220 – $212,820 | 1,010 |
| NJNew Jersey | $90,310 | $50,420 – $156,790 | 510 |
| AKAlaska | $88,230 | $42,360 – $149,370 | 710 |
| VAVirginia | $87,610 | $54,560 – $132,160 | 2,270 |
| WVWest Virginia | $85,290 | $39,250 – $120,320 | 110 |
| MOMissouri | $83,670 | $31,960 – $158,510 | 420 |
| MNMinnesota | $80,920 | $37,770 – $134,680 | 110 |
| OKOklahoma | $79,110 | $55,440 – $111,570 | 30 |
| MAMassachusetts | $77,950 | $50,960 – $127,720 | 650 |
| GAGeorgia | $77,090 | $38,640 – $121,570 | 220 |
| RIRhode Island | $76,790 | $39,360 – $163,510 | 250 |
| FLFlorida | $76,040 | $36,240 – $136,120 | 5,040 |
| NHNew Hampshire | $75,870 | $47,530 – $165,110 | 70 |
| CTConnecticut | $75,810 | $48,380 – $151,800 | 380 |
| WIWisconsin | $74,390 | $36,360 – $132,080 | 170 |
| DEDelaware | $73,280 | $44,480 – $127,790 | 50 |
| HIHawaii | $72,960 | $47,550 – $115,100 | 700 |
| MEMaine | $72,770 | $47,640 – $104,240 | 360 |
| ILIllinois | $69,600 | $48,210 – $125,050 | 900 |
| NCNorth Carolina | $69,170 | $43,040 – $105,880 | 490 |
| ALAlabama | $68,920 | $30,650 – $123,860 | 350 |
| VTVermont | $64,020 | $31,800 – $120,140 | 40 |
| PAPennsylvania | $61,420 | $36,710 – $127,060 | 580 |
| AZArizona | $58,700 | $35,700 – $119,450 | 40 |
| SCSouth Carolina | $57,660 | $27,600 – $123,840 | 520 |
| OHOhio | $56,070 | $37,530 – $99,090 | 420 |
| MIMichigan | $53,590 | $33,280 – $98,420 | 640 |
| UTUtah | $50,010 | $38,160 – $62,880 | — |
| VIVirgin Islands | $48,700 | $31,270 – $91,280 | 130 |
| PRPuerto Rico | $47,410 | $23,440 – $78,380 | 120 |
Frequently asked
The median captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in United States earns $92,460 per year (reference period May 2025). Earnings typically range from $47,420 (10th percentile or low) to $170,640 (90th percentile or high). These are official statistics published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (SOC 2018 code 53-5021). FedSalary republishes official statistics only; no self-reported or crowdsourced figures. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 36,850 people employed in this occupation in United States (May 2025).
Approximately EUR 84,055 · GBP 72,803 per year (mid-market snapshot 2026-05-02). The authoritative native figure is $92,460. FX conversion is informational only.