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The differences between boat captains and pilots 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 takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a pilot has an average salary of $83,128, 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 are PIC, pilot-in-command, and flight operations.
| Boat Captain | Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $43,632 | $83,128 |
| Hourly rate | $20.98 | $39.97 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 2,860 | 3,049 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 is an individual who works in the aviation industry to operate aircraft and transport passengers and cargos from one location to another. Pilots can fly and navigate different types of aircrafts such as helicopters, large commercial aircraft, or cargo planes. They must perform pre-flight inspections and check flight logs to secure safety for all crews and passengers who are on board. Pilots can also decide to work as flight instructors or establish an aviation school when they have gained enough experience in the aviation industry.
Boat captains and pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Boat Captain | Pilot | |
| Average salary | $43,632 | $83,128 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $66,000 | Between $58,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | HP |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a boat captain and a pilot in terms of educational background:
| Boat Captain | Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between boat captains' and pilots' demographics:
| Boat Captain | Pilot | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% |
| 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, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |