Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels earn a median $92,460 a year nationally. Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
U.S. median
$92,460
$44.45 per hour
Range
$47,420 – $170,640
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
36,850
across the U.S.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$73,876
per year · effective tax rate 20.1%
$6,156Monthly
$3,078Twice a month
$2,841Every 2 weeks
$35.52Hourly
- Federal income tax$11,511
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,733
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,341
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$73,876
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,420 | $22.80 | $40,282 |
| 25th percentile | $63,880 | $30.71 | $53,508 |
| Median (50th) | $92,460 | $44.45 | $73,876 |
| 75th percentile | $127,180 | $61.14 | $98,194 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $170,640 | $82.04 | $127,898 |
Best cities for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baton Rouge, LA | $129,260 | $96,124 | $105,886 | 900 |
| 2 | Louisville, KY | $130,380 | $95,935 | $103,074 | 800 |
| 3 | New Orleans, LA | $121,710 | $91,188 | $98,478 | 1,940 |
| 4 | Slidell, LA | $120,810 | $90,582 | $97,688 | 580 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $118,830 | $92,427 | $93,712 | 2,550 |
| 6 | Houma, LA | $103,780 | $79,112 | $92,960 | 2,040 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $109,080 | $85,568 | $76,996 | 1,140 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $124,610 | $87,458 | $75,647 | 440 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $113,260 | $80,732 | $71,089 | 1,210 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $106,230 | $78,335 | $69,593 | 2,060 |
| 11 | Jacksonville, FL | $83,190 | $67,354 | $67,704 | 670 |
| 12 | Virginia Beach, VA | $86,940 | $65,807 | $67,191 | 2,050 |
| 13 | Orlando, FL | $79,720 | $64,913 | $64,005 | 440 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $77,180 | $63,126 | $62,569 | 580 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $76,530 | $59,025 | $56,977 | 440 |
| 16 | Miami, FL | $78,280 | $63,900 | $55,977 | 1,710 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $75,130 | $58,147 | $53,708 | 490 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- Louisville, KY — $130,380
- Baton Rouge, LA — $129,260
- San Francisco, CA — $124,610
- New Orleans, LA — $121,710
- Slidell, LA — $120,810
- Houston, TX — $118,830
- Los Angeles, CA — $113,260
- Seattle, WA — $109,080
- New York, NY — $106,230
- Houma, LA — $103,780
- Virginia Beach, VA — $86,940
- Jacksonville, FL — $83,190
- Orlando, FL — $79,720
- Miami, FL — $78,280
- Tampa, FL — $77,180
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $138,950 | $99,902 | $54,920 – $222,280 | 450 |
| Tennessee | $132,710 | $101,973 | $60,270 – $215,470 | 940 |
| Louisiana | $117,160 | $88,124 | $60,480 – $206,860 | 6,830 |
| Texas | $111,390 | $87,193 | $64,850 – $170,800 | 3,400 |
| California | $110,090 | $78,838 | $56,060 – $239,200+ | 2,420 |
| New York | $104,800 | $77,414 | $54,850 – $165,360 | 1,930 |
| Mississippi | $104,220 | $78,712 | $47,030 – $186,020 | 570 |
| Washington | $103,730 | $81,804 | $57,350 – $153,330 | 1,560 |
| Iowa | $97,700 | $74,501 | $46,220 – $121,760 | 80 |
| Oregon | $97,050 | $69,442 | $52,880 – $138,000 | 350 |
| Indiana | $92,000 | $70,868 | $59,220 – $212,820 | 1,010 |
| New Jersey | $90,310 | $68,800 | $50,420 – $156,790 | 510 |
| Alaska | $88,230 | $70,900 | $42,360 – $149,370 | 710 |
| Virginia | $87,610 | $66,240 | $54,560 – $132,160 | 2,270 |
| West Virginia | $85,290 | $65,655 | $39,250 – $120,320 | 110 |
| Missouri | $83,670 | $64,697 | $31,960 – $158,510 | 420 |
| Minnesota | $80,920 | $61,778 | $37,770 – $134,680 | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $79,110 | $61,469 | $55,440 – $111,570 | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $77,950 | $59,990 | $50,960 – $127,720 | 650 |
| Georgia | $77,090 | $59,685 | $38,640 – $121,570 | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $76,790 | $60,589 | $39,360 – $163,510 | 250 |
| Florida | $76,040 | $62,324 | $36,240 – $136,120 | 5,040 |
| New Hampshire | $75,870 | $62,205 | $47,530 – $165,110 | 70 |
| Connecticut | $75,810 | $59,568 | $48,380 – $151,800 | 380 |
| Wisconsin | $74,390 | $58,601 | $36,360 – $132,080 | 170 |
| Delaware | $73,280 | $56,887 | $44,480 – $127,790 | 50 |
| Hawaii | $72,960 | $56,143 | $47,550 – $115,100 | 700 |
| Maine | $72,770 | $56,293 | $47,640 – $104,240 | 360 |
| Illinois | $69,600 | $54,493 | $48,210 – $125,050 | 900 |
| North Carolina | $69,170 | $55,240 | $43,040 – $105,880 | 490 |
| Alabama | $68,920 | $54,134 | $30,650 – $123,860 | 350 |
| Vermont | $64,020 | $51,855 | $31,800 – $120,140 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,420 | $49,645 | $36,710 – $127,060 | 580 |
| Arizona | $58,700 | $48,087 | $35,700 – $119,450 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $57,660 | $46,207 | $27,600 – $123,840 | 520 |
| Ohio | $56,070 | $46,473 | $37,530 – $99,090 | 420 |
| Michigan | $53,590 | $43,213 | $33,280 – $98,420 | 640 |
| Utah | $50,010 | $41,079 | $38,160 – $62,880 | — |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make?
The national median salary for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels is $92,460 a year ($44.45 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $47,420 and the top 10% earn over $170,640. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels the most?
Maryland has the highest median pay at $138,950. After taxes and local prices, Baton Rouge, LA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels are there in the U.S.?
About 36,850 people work as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels nationwide.