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

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselss in Massachusetts have a median annual salary of $77,950, which works out to about $37.47 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $62,160 to $101,940, 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 Massachusetts at a glance

Median annual salary

$77,950

Median hourly wage

$37.47/hr

Average annual salary

$85,830

Average hourly wage

$41.26/hr

25th percentile

$62,160

75th percentile

$101,940

10th percentile

$50,960

90th percentile

$127,720

People employed

650

Salary distribution

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

10th percentile
$50,960
25th percentile
$62,160
Median percentile
$77,950
75th percentile
$101,940
90th percentile
$127,720

Massachusetts vs U.S. salary

The median salary for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Massachusetts is about 15.7% 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 Massachusetts?

Half of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Massachusetts report earning more than $77,950 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $85,830 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 $62,160 and a quarter are above $101,940, 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.