Able seaman vs ordinary seaman

The differences between able seamen and ordinary seamen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an able seaman has an average salary of $54,205, which is higher than the $52,664 average annual salary of an ordinary seaman.

The top three skills for an able seaman include cargo operations, general maintenance and emergency equipment. The most important skills for an ordinary seaman are vessel maintenance, safety equipment, and ladders.

Able seaman vs ordinary seaman overview

	Able Seaman	Ordinary Seaman
Yearly salary	$54,205	$52,664
Hourly rate	$26.06	$25.32
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	422	169
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	33	33
Years of experience	-	-

Able seaman vs ordinary seaman salary

Able seamen and ordinary seamen have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Able Seaman	Ordinary Seaman
Average salary	$54,205	$52,664
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $130,000	Between $23,000 And $120,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between able seaman and ordinary seaman education

There are a few differences between an able seaman and an ordinary seaman in terms of educational background:

	Able Seaman	Ordinary Seaman
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Marine Transportation	Business
Most common college	-	-

Able seaman vs ordinary seaman demographics

Here are the differences between able seamen' and ordinary seamen' demographics:

	Able Seaman	Ordinary Seaman
Average age	33	33
Gender ratio	Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0%	Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 17.3% Unknown, 9.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.8% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%	Black or African American, 17.4% Unknown, 9.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between able seaman and ordinary seaman duties and responsibilities

Able seaman example responsibilities.

Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
Plan and coordinate training sessions on firefighting and lifesaving equipment.
Serve as helmsman: repair and maintain stowing equipment in preparation for underwater operations.
Work on an offshore lift boat providing crane services for third party contractors working on oil wells and platforms.
Serve as helmsman: repair and maintain stowing equipment in preparation for underwater operations.

Ordinary seaman example responsibilities.

Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
Clean hulls, keel, rudder, props.
Conduct drills according to protocols specify by the USCG.
Acquire all extracurricular IMO and USCG certifications, self-bankrol.
Prime and paint the decks with fresh coats of paint.
Conduct drills, demonstrations of hydraulics, pump operations and firefighting techniques.

Able seaman vs ordinary seaman skills

Common able seaman skills

Cargo Operations, 14%
General Maintenance, 9%
Emergency Equipment, 8%
Rig, 7%
Mooring Lines, 6%
Coast Guard, 6%

Common ordinary seaman skills

Vessel Maintenance, 20%
Safety Equipment, 12%
Ladders, 9%
TWIC, 8%
Mooring Lines, 7%
Stcw, 6%

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Transportation Industry
Able Seaman
Able Seaman vs Ordinary Seaman

Updated January 8, 2025

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