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

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselss in Washington have a median annual salary of $103,730, which works out to about $49.87 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $75,470 to $129,040, 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 Washington at a glance

Median annual salary

$103,730

Median hourly wage

$49.87/hr

Average annual salary

$103,890

Average hourly wage

$49.95/hr

25th percentile

$75,470

75th percentile

$129,040

10th percentile

$57,350

90th percentile

$153,330

People employed

1,560

Salary distribution

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

10th percentile
$57,350
25th percentile
$75,470
Median percentile
$103,730
75th percentile
$129,040
90th percentile
$153,330

Washington vs U.S. salary

The median salary for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Washington is about 12.2% above 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 Washington?

Half of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels roles in Washington report earning more than $103,730 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $103,890 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 $75,470 and a quarter are above $129,040, 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.