Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels is $92,460, or $44.45 per hour. About 36,850 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $138,950 in Maryland to $50,010 in Utah.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 38 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $138,950 | $66.80 | 450 | 0.69 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $132,710 | $63.80 | 940 | 1.20 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $117,160 | $56.33 | 6,830 | 14.89 |
| 4 | Texas | $111,390 | $53.55 | 3,400 | 1.02 |
| 5 | California | $110,090 | $52.93 | 2,420 | 0.56 |
| 6 | New York | $104,800 | $50.39 | 1,930 | 0.84 |
| 7 | Mississippi | $104,220 | $50.11 | 570 | 2.08 |
| 8 | Washington | $103,730 | $49.87 | 1,560 | 1.86 |
| 9 | Iowa | $97,700 | $46.97 | 80 | 0.21 |
| 10 | Oregon | $97,050 | $46.66 | 350 | 0.75 |
| 11 | Indiana | $92,000 | $44.23 | 1,010 | 1.34 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $90,310 | $43.42 | 510 | 0.50 |
| 13 | Alaska | $88,230 | $42.42 | 710 | 9.16 |
| 14 | Virginia | $87,610 | $42.12 | 2,270 | 2.33 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $85,290 | $41.00 | 110 | 0.69 |
| 16 | Missouri | $83,670 | $40.23 | 420 | 0.60 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $80,920 | $38.90 | 110 | 0.16 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $79,110 | $38.03 | 30 | 0.08 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $77,950 | $37.47 | 650 | 0.75 |
| 20 | Georgia | $77,090 | $37.06 | 220 | 0.19 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $76,790 | $36.92 | 250 | 2.09 |
| 22 | Florida | $76,040 | $36.56 | 5,040 | 2.14 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $75,870 | $36.48 | 70 | 0.44 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $75,810 | $36.45 | 380 | 0.96 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $74,390 | $35.76 | 170 | 0.25 |
| 26 | Delaware | $73,280 | $35.23 | 50 | 0.41 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $72,960 | $35.08 | 700 | 4.73 |
| 28 | Maine | $72,770 | $34.99 | 360 | 2.37 |
| 29 | Illinois | $69,600 | $33.46 | 900 | 0.62 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $69,170 | $33.26 | 490 | 0.42 |
| 31 | Alabama | $68,920 | $33.13 | 350 | 0.70 |
| 32 | Vermont | $64,020 | $30.78 | 40 | 0.52 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $61,420 | $29.53 | 580 | 0.41 |
| 34 | Arizona | $58,700 | $28.22 | 40 | 0.05 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $57,660 | $27.72 | 520 | 0.96 |
| 36 | Ohio | $56,070 | $26.96 | 420 | 0.32 |
| 37 | Michigan | $53,590 | $25.76 | 640 | 0.61 |
| 38 | Utah | $50,010 | $24.04 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make?
The median annual wage for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in the United States is $92,460, or $44.45 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $47,420, and the top 10% earn $170,640.
How many captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels are employed in the U.S.?
About 36,850 people work as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels nationwide.
Which state pays captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels the most?
Maryland pays the most at a median of $138,950, followed by Tennessee ($132,710) and Louisiana ($117,160).
Which state pays captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels the least?
Utah has the lowest median at $50,010.
Where are captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Louisiana at 14.89×.