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The differences between boat captains and pilot captains can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a boat captain, becoming a pilot captain takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a pilot captain has an average salary of $68,096, which is higher than the $43,632 average annual salary of a boat captain.
The top three skills for a boat captain include vessel maintenance, boats and CPR. The most important skills for a pilot captain are PIC, FAA, and IFR.
| Boat Captain | Pilot Captain | |
| Yearly salary | $43,632 | $68,096 |
| Hourly rate | $20.98 | $32.74 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 2,860 | 5,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A boat captain is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing boat operations and managing staff, ensuring efficient operations for a safe and successful voyage. With their years of experience, they have the authority to develop and implement strategies, delegate responsibilities among staff, conduct safety inspections before and after every journey, direct maintenance strategies, implement solutions if issues arise, and make significant decisions. In larger sea vessels, a boat captain may also act as the host and welcome passengers, communicating with them regularly throughout the journey.
A pilot captain is an experienced pilot who is primarily responsible for the flight, passengers, and crew. As the pilot with the highest authority in an aircraft, they are in charge of ensuring that all necessary procedures and safety checks are carried out before, during, and after flights. It is also their duty to conduct weather and flight plan checks, coordinate with air-traffic controllers and airport personnel while working together with co-pilots, and addressing issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently.
Boat captains and pilot captains have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Boat Captain | Pilot Captain | |
| Average salary | $43,632 | $68,096 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $66,000 | Between $57,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Wiggins Airways |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a boat captain and a pilot captain in terms of educational background:
| Boat Captain | Pilot Captain | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between boat captains' and pilot captains' demographics:
| Boat Captain | Pilot Captain | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 3.2% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |