Occupation overview

Motorboat Operators Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for motorboat operators is $47,520, or $22.85 per hour. About 2,480 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $76,250 in Hawaii to $34,570 in California.

Median annual
$47,520
Median hourly
$22.85
Entry level (P10)
$34,510
Top 10% (P90)
$84,530
Employment
2,480
States covered
13

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$34,510
$42,760
$47,520
$69,010
$34,510$47,520$84,530
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $47,520.

Salary by state

All 13 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1Hawaii$76,250$36.6633032.64
2Illinois$68,380$32.88400.38
3Washington$63,650$30.60801.38
4New York$62,000$29.81——
5Texas$50,270$24.172701.19
6Michigan$46,760$22.48——
7Florida$46,620$22.411701.09
8Connecticut$45,970$22.10——
9Louisiana$45,800$22.021605.25
10Massachusetts$45,160$21.71——
11New Jersey$44,150$21.23400.64
12Tennessee$42,360$20.37601.20
13California$34,570$16.621900.66

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do motorboat operators make?

The median annual wage for motorboat operators in the United States is $47,520, or $22.85 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $34,510, and the top 10% earn $84,530.

How many motorboat operators are employed in the U.S.?

About 2,480 people work as motorboat operators nationwide.

Which state pays motorboat operators the most?

Hawaii pays the most at a median of $76,250, followed by Illinois ($68,380) and Washington ($63,650).

Which state pays motorboat operators the least?

California has the lowest median at $34,570.

Where are motorboat operators jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Hawaii at 32.64×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes