Ship Captains & Mates earn $92,460 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $63,880 and $127,180. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
Also known as:
Ship Captains & Mates earn $92,460 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $63,880 and $127,180. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Well above average for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
The mean wage for this occupation is $103,720, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Ship Captains & Mates roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
High time pressure and significant consequences for errors. Deadline-driven or high-stakes decisions are common.
The BLS projects +0.5% employment change for Ship Captains & Mates through 2034, below the national average of +5%. About 4,300 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
Slower than average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Ship Captains & Mates professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $92,460 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 6,310 | $103,430 | +11.9% |
| 2 | Florida | 4,360 | $63,540 | -31.3% |
| 3 | Texas | 4,090 | $105,790 | +14.4% |
| 4 | New York | 2,080 | $103,510 | +12.0% |
| 5 | California | 1,970 | $79,560 | -14.0% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Ship Captains & Mates positions require a postsecondary nondegree award to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marine Transportation | 1,173 | $117,011 | 27 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NY | 87 | $6,174 | $90,610 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX | 80 | $21,315 | $72,097 |
| 3 | West Kentucky Community and Technical College Paducah, KY | 77 | $5,353 | $34,891 |
| 4 | Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City, MI | 76 | $6,231 | $38,167 |
| 5 | SUNY Maritime College Throggs Neck, NY | 75 | $22,367 | $95,951 |
| 6 | Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, CA | 74 | $7,203 | $47,348 |
Once you've sized up Ship Captains & Mates, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Ship Captains & Mates pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Ship Captains & Mates shows 3 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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