Boat operator vs vessel operator

The differences between boat operators and vessel operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a boat operator and a vessel operator. Additionally, a vessel operator has an average salary of $51,409, which is higher than the $39,509 average annual salary of a boat operator.

The top three skills for a boat operator include safety procedures, USCG and boats. The most important skills for a vessel operator are USCG, TWIC, and safety equipment.

Boat operator vs vessel operator overview

	Boat Operator	Vessel Operator
Yearly salary	$39,509	$51,409
Hourly rate	$18.99	$24.72
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	30,192	29,922
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Boat operator vs vessel operator salary

Boat operators and vessel operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Boat Operator	Vessel Operator
Average salary	$39,509	$51,409
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $64,000	Between $25,000 And $103,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between boat operator and vessel operator education

There are a few differences between a boat operator and a vessel operator in terms of educational background:

	Boat Operator	Vessel Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	-	-

Boat operator vs vessel operator demographics

Here are the differences between boat operators' and vessel operators' demographics:

	Boat Operator	Vessel Operator
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 90.4% Female, 9.6%	Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4%
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, 6.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 3.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between boat operator and vessel operator duties and responsibilities

Boat operator example responsibilities.

Collect and track revenue; maintain inventory and manage boat insurance, registration and payments.
Analyze the detail of ISO quality certificates in ERP system to insure the achievement of the MRP parameter
Bid, RFP, and quote preparation.
Can run skimmers, vacu-max, pressure washer, forklifts ect ..
Deploy to Oroville, California as an emergency first responder when the dam fail.
Initiate and evaluate BT (bathythermograph) testing prior to audible tracking with dipping sonar.

Vessel operator example responsibilities.

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Monitor combat missions through satellite and computer global positioning systems in order to prepare accurate reports for unit commanders.
Master of ATB, hawser tug/barge combinations operating worldwide and GOM.

Boat operator vs vessel operator skills

Common boat operator skills

Safety Procedures, 31%
USCG, 22%
Boats, 21%
Coast Guard, 6%
GPS, 5%
Oil Spill, 4%

Common vessel operator skills

USCG, 32%
TWIC, 26%
Safety Equipment, 13%
Coast Guard, 11%
Logistics, 7%
Skimmers, 7%

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Transportation Industry
Boat Operator
Boat Operator vs Vessel Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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