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Commercial Fishing

What Commercial Fishing Majors Need to Know

Studies in Commercial Fishing build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Commercial Fishing graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Commercial Fishing emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Transportation — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Commercial Fishing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Commercial Fishing careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Far Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Commercial Fishing graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.5 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.4 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Commercial Fishing professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
KNMI TurboWin	Data base user interface and query software	—
Groundwater modeling system GMS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Maptech The CAPN	Route navigation software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Log book software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Navigational chart software	Route navigation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Apple macOS	Operating system software	—
Autodesk Revit	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Commercial Fishing graduates include:

• Relief Captain
• Ship Pilot
• Skipper
• Maritime Officer
• Second Officer
• Tug Captain
• Third Officer
• Steamboat Pilot
• Maritime Pilot
• Area Relief Pilot
• Riverboat Master
• Able Bodied Tankerman (AB Tankerman)
• Tugboat Operator
• Ferry Boat Captain
• Dredge Mate

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Commercial Fishing graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	42.0%
Postsecondary certificate	36.6%
Bachelor’s degree	8.4%
Some college courses	5.5%
Less than a high school diploma	4.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.2%
Master’s degree	0.5%
First professional degree	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Commercial Fishing Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Commercial Fishing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,096
4 years	$58,110
5 years	$66,829

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $66,829 — roughly 21% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Commercial Fishing Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Commercial Fishing graduates earn a median of $58,110 four years after completion — roughly 53% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Marine Transportation	49.03
Diver, Professional and Instructor	49.0304
Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer	49.0309
Marine Transportation, Other	49.0399

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.