How much money do boat captains/ pilots make?

Question

With a maritime transportation degree how much money do boat captains make?

Answer 1

Unlimited ship captains generally make between 120 and 200k.  Pilots can make much more.  I've heard 350k for Mississippi Bar pilots 225k on the Delaware and 150-200k in St. Thomas.  I'm not pursuing a career in piloting but these are some of the numbers I've heard in passing.  I'm an officer on a drill ship and our Captains make about 140+.  But coming out of a maritime academy with a marine transportation degree you are far from being a captain.  You start out as a 3rd mate and accumulate sea time, take classes and take USCG tests to upgrade through the ranks to Captain.  I graduated in ’03 and just received my unlimited Chief Mates license, and it’ll be another couple years before I have my Masters license.  Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Captain on tugboats with a towing endorsement with experience, 100,000+

Captain on tourist boats under 100 tons, 45,000 to 60,000.

Captain on crew boats and supply vessels in the gulf, 60,000 to 95,000.

No maritime academy required.

Answer 3

big difference between a captain and a pilot so not sure what you are actually after

a ship's captain earnings also depend on the shipping line, type of ship etc, so the captain of a small river ferry gets much less than the captain of a huge passenger cruise liner, but top of the range for a master can reach £80k

Answer 4

BWH is spot on with the salaries. Let me ask you this...Is $$ your only motivator? If so, you may want to think long and hard before you commit to a life at sea. Shipping isn't for everyone, it is a hard and lonely life... being away from home for extended periods of time usually wreaks havoc on your relationships.  In order to be a pilot you need a lot of what's called pilotage, or familiarity in a particular harbor or port.  Sometimes the only way to become a pilot is to be born into!  If you are pursuing this, have a backup plan in case you want to come ashore and work one day.  Most of the skills you will acquire will translate very well into management positions!  

What's the old saying, standing watch is 95% boredom 5% sheer terror!  

Good luck!