Ship Captains & Mates vs Tugboat & Barge Operators
Median pay is about $45k higher for Ship Captains & Mates. The usual entry education is postsecondary for Ship Captains & Mates and high school plus USCG license for Tugboat & Barge Operators.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Ship Captains & Mates | Tugboat & Barge Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $92,460, higher | $47,520 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $63,880, higher | $42,760 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $127,180, higher | $69,010 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.0% Growing fast | +4.9% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 3,800 | 300 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary | High school plus USCG license |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.4 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Very low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 6th pct | 47th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Ship Captains & Mates
- Writing
Only Tugboat & Barge Operators
- Active Learning
Both lean on speaking, monitoring, active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.