Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in California
Thinking about a career as a Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in California? Here’s what the data says. Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard. Excludes “Motorboat Operators” (53-5022).
What do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Make in California?
For a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels working in California, the median annual wage is $79,560 per year (or about $38.25/hour).Annual wages span from $54,030 at the 10th percentile to $158,730 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $54,030 | $25.97 |
| 25th percentile | $60,440 | $29.06 |
| Median (50th) | $79,560 | $38.25 |
| 75th percentile | $122,320 | $58.81 |
| 90th percentile | $158,730 | $76.31 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California nationwide is 0.48, indicating fewer captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels earn a median of $27,869 per year ($13.40/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,042,808 captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in the U.S.. In California alone, approximately 1,970 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 460 captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.
Top California Metros for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
The metro areas below employ the most captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 790 | $76,970 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 400 | $110,810 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 280 | $74,850 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 70 | $75,700 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 50 | $87,670 |
Top States for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Employment
These states have the highest employment of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | 6,310 |
| Florida | 4,360 |
| Texas | 4,090 |
| New York | 2,080 |
| California | 1,970 |
| Virginia | 1,890 |
| Washington | 1,600 |
| Kentucky | 1,490 |
| New Jersey | 880 |
| Illinois | 840 |
| Tennessee | 840 |
| Indiana | 810 |
| Alaska | 710 |
| Massachusetts | 560 |
| Hawaii | 530 |
| Pennsylvania | 530 |
| Mississippi | 530 |
| Michigan | 490 |
| Oregon | 480 |
| Maryland | 460 |
Highest-Paying States for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
The highest-paying states for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | $112,670 |
| Texas | $105,790 |
| Washington | $104,560 |
| New York | $103,510 |
| Louisiana | $103,430 |
| Iowa | $100,330 |
| Maryland | $95,210 |
| West Virginia | $95,170 |
| Tennessee | $91,880 |
| New Jersey | $91,700 |
Skills
Key captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically:
- 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.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
- Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
- Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
- Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
- Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
Work Activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Apple macOS In-demand technologies: Microsoft Office software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Marine Transportation
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Related Careers
Related occupations to captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels include:
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
- Fishing and Hunting Workers
- Commercial Divers
- Riggers
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Also Known As
Able Bodied Seaman (AB Seaman), Able Bodied Tankerman (AB Tankerman), Area Relief Pilot, Bar Pilot, Barge Captain, Barge Master, Barge Mate, Barge Pilot, Boat Captain, Boat Master, Boat Mate, Boat Operator, Boat Pilot, Boatswain, Boatswain's Mate.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 53-5021.00
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