Captains, Mates, & Pilots of Water Vessels

Also Called: Boat Captain, Captain, Ship Captain, Ship Pilot

Associate's degree

usually needed

Not Available
(Students Only)
Match Percentage

$44,600

Entry Salary

Below Average

Job outlook

What Captains, Mates, & Pilots of Water Vessels do

Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.

  • 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.
Industry Areas:

Automotive & Machine Repair • Transportation

Training Program Areas:

Advanced Marine Pipefitting • OCT-Only Transportation • Seaman

Expand For Additional Details

Work Context

  • Face-to-Face Discussions
  • Frequency of Decision Making
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
  • Contact With Others

Tools

  • Vehicle navigation systems
  • Marine craft communications systems
  • Marine signaling systems
  • Winches
  • Anchor rollers

Technology

Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Route navigation software
Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
Navigational chart software

The Education & Training You Need

Skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Speaking

Knowledge

Transportation
movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road
Safety and Government
public safety and security
law and government
Engineering and Technology
mechanical
Arts and Humanities
English language

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What are some related occupations at different educational levels?


Job Training Match

Dredge Operators

Educational Level

High School Diploma or Equivalent

 Job Training Match

Ship Engineers

Educational Level

Post-secondary, non-degree

Captains, Mates, & Pilots of Water Vessels Currently Selected

Educational Level

Associate's Degree

Airline Pilots, Copilots, & Flight Engineers

Educational Level

Bachelor's Degree

Climate Change Policy Analysts

Educational Level

Advanced Degree

What are your training options on the pathway to this occupation?

Advanced Training

  • Atlanta - Job Corps

    Atlanta, Georgia

  • Excelsior Springs - Job Corps

    Excelsior Springs, Missouri

ACT & College

  • Alexandria Technical & Community College

    Alexandria, MN

  • Alpena Community College

    Alpena, MI

Apprenticeships

Earn while you learn. Apprenticeships combines paid training & specialized classes to help workers enter highly skilled occupations. Click here for to locate an apprenticeship near you.

Military

The Military offers exciting career opportunities that align with your interests. Click here to explore military careers and find a recruiter near you.

Are You a Good Fit?

Occupation Traits

Work Styles

  • Dependability
  • Leadership
  • Self Control
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Attention to Detail
  • Independence

Values

  • Independence
  • Support
  • Relationships

Abilities

  • Verbal
  • Attention
  • Spatial
  • Controlled Movement

This is what Captains, Mates, & Pilots of Water Vessels across the country typically make.

$21.44 / hour
$44,600 /year

Entry Level

$42.66 / hour
$88,730 /year

Median Level

$77.65 / hour
$161,510 /year

Experienced Level

Income information reflects a regional average.
Income information reflects a national average.

This career’s National Job Outlook is

Below Average

Please be sure to verify the outlook of this occupation with your instructor.

Search Jobs