Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Ship Pilot

Find Schools Near

What Do Ship Pilot Do?

Occupation Description Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits, or sounds, or on rivers, lakes, or bays. Must be licensed by U.S. Coast Guard with limitations indicating class and tonnage of vessels for which license is valid and route and waters that may be piloted.

Life As a Ship Pilot: What Do They Do?

  • Advise ships’ masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
  • Relieve crew members on tugs or launches.
  • Serve as a vessel’s docking master upon arrival at a port or when at a berth.
  • Set ships’ courses that avoid reefs, outlying shoals, or other hazards, using navigational aids, such as lighthouses or buoys.
  • Steer ships into or out of berths or signal tugboat captains to berth or unberth ships.
  • Maintain ship logs.

Ship Pilot Required Skills

These are the skills Ship Pilots say are the most useful in their careers:

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Other Ship Pilot Job Titles

  • Harbor Pilot
  • River Pilot
  • Steamboat Pilot
  • Marine Pilot
  • Canal Driver

Job Demand for Ship Pilots

There were about 38,800 jobs for Ship Pilot in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,400 new jobs for Ship Pilot by 2026. There will be an estimated 4,400 positions for Ship Pilot per year.

undefined

The states with the most job growth for Ship Pilot are Nevada, Georgia, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Indiana, or Oregon. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Ship Pilot Salary

The average yearly salary of a Ship Pilot ranges between $35,410 and $144,690.

undefined

Ship Pilots who work in Texas, Oregon, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.

How much do Ship Pilots make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $79,750
Alaska $72,570
California $70,840
Delaware $74,790
Florida $78,880
Georgia $73,410
Hawaii $52,830
Illinois $67,020
Iowa $75,600
Kentucky $79,130
Louisiana $93,010
Maine $61,410
Maryland $86,460
Massachusetts $57,700
Michigan $83,040
Minnesota $73,910
New Hampshire $51,490
New Jersey $75,170
New York $95,370
North Carolina $55,710
Ohio $47,810
Oregon $100,150
Pennsylvania $74,780
South Carolina $67,090
Tennessee $54,480
Texas $103,950
Virginia $77,370
Washington $90,890
Wisconsin $48,190

What Tools do Ship Pilots Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Ship Pilots may use on a daily basis:

  • Log book software
  • Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
  • Maptech The CAPN

Becoming a Ship Pilot

What education is needed to be a Ship Pilot?

undefined

How many years of work experience do I need?

undefined

Ship Pilots Sector

undefined

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

undefined

Similar Careers

Those thinking about becoming a Ship Pilot might also be interested in the following careers:

References:

Image Credit: via CC0 Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.