Motorboat Operator Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of motorboat operators to grow 4.9% from 2025 to 2035 (about 100 more jobs), with about 300 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $47,520 a year ranks 611th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +4.9%
- Openings a year
- 300
- Median pay
- $47,520
- Pay rank
- 611th of 825
Is employment of motorboat operators growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of motorboat operators to rise 4.9% (about 100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +4.3% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 50 transportation and material moving occupations with a projection. That change ranks 245th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 2,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 2,900 |
| Projected change | +4.9% |
| Openings a year | 300 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 2,800 jobs here differ from the 2,480 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 300 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 775th most of 830 occupations. About 97% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 10 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for motorboat operators rank?
The median of $47,520 a year ranks 611th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the lower half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: postsecondary nondegree award.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | +4.0% | 3,800 | $92,460 |
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | +3.2% | 3,600 | $51,520 |
| Ship Engineers | +2.7% | 900 | $109,530 |
| Dredge Operators | +0.7% | 100 | $49,640 |
| Locomotive Engineers | +0.5% | 2,000 | $81,410 |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | +0.2% | 300 | $56,450 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | +3.8% | 214,500 | $58,640 |
| Commercial Pilots | +5.2% | 5,200 | $123,220 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.