Career Outlook
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
BLS employment projections 2024–2034 · SOC 53-5021
Projected Growth
+0.5%
2024–2034
Annual Openings
4,300
projected/year
Median Salary
$92K
annual (BLS 2025)
Current Employment
40,700
workers (2024 projections base)
The Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels career outlook (SOC 53-5021) combines two separate BLS data products: Employment Projections for 2024-2034 trajectory, and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from May 2025 for current pay. Projected employment change is +0.5% over the decade, which we classify as slower than average versus the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. That places it 2.6 percentage points below the national average across all occupations. Annual openings combining growth, retirement replacement, and transfers are projected at 4,300 per year.
Current workforce size (2024 base) is 40,700, projected to reach 40,900 by 2034, a net gain of 200 jobs. Median pay sits at $92,460 per year ($44.45/hr), with an observed 10th-to-90th percentile spread from $47,420 to $170,640. OEWS does not classify those percentile boundaries by career stage. Typical entry-level credential is Postsecondary nondegree award, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally expected.
How to read these projections
Growth projections are directional indicators, not guarantees. BLS revises these annually based on updated demographic, technology, and policy inputs, the 2024-2034 projections already factor in assumptions about AI adoption, remote-work normalization, demographic aging, energy transition, and post-pandemic industry shifts, but unforeseen disruptions (recessions, breakthrough technologies, policy changes) can reshape numbers this far out. When treating this page as career-decision evidence, pair the growth percentage with annual openings (small occupations growing fast can still offer few actual entry points, while large occupations growing slowly can offer thousands of replacement opportunities), use the percentile band to understand the reported wage distribution, and check whether the credential requirements match your current educational investment. Entry and experienced work-level pay require separate evidence. The "Similar Occupations" list below highlights adjacent SOC codes worth considering as comparison anchors or alternative pathways.
Job Growth Projection
+0.5%
Slower than average
vs. national average (3.1%)
-2.6% below
2024 Employment
40,700
Change
+200
2034 Projected
40,900
Entry Requirements
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work Experience Required
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
None
Salary Data (BLS 2025)
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $47,420 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,880 |
| Median (50th) | $92,460 |
| 75th Percentile | $127,180 |
| 90th Percentile | $170,640 |
| Mean (Average) | $103,720 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels a growing field?
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is projected to grow by 0.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. The national average across all tracked occupations is about 3.1%.
What education do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels need?
The typical entry-level education requirement for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is: Postsecondary nondegree award. Work experience required: Less than 5 years. On-the-job training: None.
How many Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels jobs will be available?
There are approximately 4,300 annual job openings projected for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, which includes new positions due to growth plus openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
What is the median salary for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels?
The median annual salary for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels is $92,460 ($44.45/hr), based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. Half of workers earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Similar Career Paths
Occupations in SOC major group 53 with comparable growth and entry requirements.
Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034. Salary data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Outlook fields use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; wage fields use BLS OEWS May 2025; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.