Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary
The median pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in the United States is $92,460 a year. About 36,850 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $47,420
- 25th percentile
- $63,880
- Median percentile
- $92,460
- 75th percentile
- $127,180
- 90th percentile
- $170,640
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- Maryland $138,950
- Tennessee $132,710
- Louisiana $117,160
- Texas $111,390
- California $110,090
- New York $104,800
- Mississippi $104,220
- Washington $103,730
- Iowa $97,700
- Oregon $97,050
- Indiana $92,000
- New Jersey $90,310
- Alaska $88,230
- Virginia $87,610
- West Virginia $85,290
- Missouri $83,670
- Minnesota $80,920
- Oklahoma $79,110
- Massachusetts $77,950
- Georgia $77,090
- Rhode Island $76,790
- Florida $76,040
- New Hampshire $75,870
- Connecticut $75,810
- Wisconsin $74,390
- Delaware $73,280
- Hawaii $72,960
- Maine $72,770
- Illinois $69,600
- North Carolina $69,170
- Alabama $68,920
- Vermont $64,020
- Pennsylvania $61,420
- Arizona $58,700
- South Carolina $57,660
- Ohio $56,070
- Michigan $53,590
By metro area
- Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $130,380
- Baton Rouge, LA $129,260
- San Francisco, CA $124,610
- New Orleans, LA $121,710
- Slidell, LA $120,810
- Lake Charles, LA $119,630
- Houston, TX $118,830
- Lafayette, LA $116,200
- Bremerton, WA $113,850
- Mount Vernon, WA $113,850
- Los Angeles, CA $113,260
- Beaumont, TX $112,320
- Anchorage, AK $109,580
- Seattle, WA $109,080
- New York, NY $106,230
- Philadelphia, PA $103,840
- Brownsville, TX $103,800
- Houma, LA $103,780
- St. Louis, MO $94,990
- Washington, DC $94,150
- Portland, OR $93,440
- Deltona, FL $92,580
- Charleston, SC $91,000
- Bridgeport, CT $89,890
- Virginia Beach, VA $86,940
- Jacksonville, FL $83,190
- Gulfport, MS $81,290
- Savannah, GA $81,090
- Kahului, HI $80,800
- Chattanooga, TN $80,790
- Cincinnati, OH $80,480
- Oxnard, CA $80,100
- Atlantic City, NJ $79,990
- Orlando, FL $79,720
- Traverse City, MI $79,440
- Corpus Christi, TX $79,060
- Sacramento, CA $78,380
- Norwich, CT $78,310
- Miami, FL $78,280
- Cape Coral, FL $77,630
- Tampa, FL $77,180
- Buffalo, NY $77,120
- Chicago, IL $76,530
- San Diego, CA $76,490
- Charlotte, NC $76,340
- Daphne, AL $76,140
- New Haven, CT $75,810
- Rochester, NY $75,750
- Providence, RI $75,430
- Crestview, FL $75,370
- Boston, MA $75,130
- Albany, NY $74,890
- Palm Bay, FL $74,260
- Hartford, CT $74,160
- Portland, ME $74,140
- Urban Honolulu, HI $72,880
- North Port, FL $71,840
- Huntington, WV $70,600
- Port St. Lucie, FL $69,050
- Naples, FL $65,150
- Burlington, VT $64,020
- Cleveland, OH $63,540
- Wilmington, NC $63,190
- Panama City, FL $63,010
- Mobile, AL $62,460
- Evansville, IN $61,660
- Salinas, CA $60,070
- Muskegon, MI $59,900
- Sandusky, OH $51,050
- Pittsburgh, PA $48,030
- Hilton Head Island, SC $47,590
- Myrtle Beach, SC $43,780
- Detroit, MI $40,810