Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary in Alaska

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselss in Alaska have a median annual salary of $88,230, which works out to about $42.42 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $60,750 to $121,700, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.

53-5021 · Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pay in Alaska at a glance

Median annual salary

$88,230

Median hourly wage

$42.42/hr

Average annual salary

$94,450

Average hourly wage

$45.41/hr

25th percentile

$60,750

75th percentile

$121,700

10th percentile

$42,360

90th percentile

$149,370

People employed

710

Salary distribution

Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Alaska.

10th percentile
$42,360
25th percentile
$60,750
Median percentile
$88,230
75th percentile
$121,700
90th percentile
$149,370

Alaska vs U.S. salary

The median salary for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Alaska is about 4.6% below the U.S. median of $92,460 for the same occupation.

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How much does a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Alaska?

Half of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Alaska report earning more than $88,230 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $94,450 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $60,750 and a quarter are above $121,700, so most captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels pay?

  • Years of experience and level of responsibility
  • Employer type and size
  • Specialization within the occupation
  • Certifications and licensing
  • Industry
  • Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
  • The local labor market where the job is based

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pay in other states

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources

Salary figures are benchmarks and can vary by employer, experience, specialization, hours worked and other factors.