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The differences between captains and port captains can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a captain and a port captain. Additionally, a port captain has an average salary of $57,720, which is higher than the $52,161 average annual salary of a captain.
The top three skills for a captain include customer service, safety standards and food preparation. The most important skills for a port captain are vessel operations, safety program, and USCG.
| Captain | Port Captain | |
| Yearly salary | $52,161 | $57,720 |
| Hourly rate | $25.08 | $27.75 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 4,430 | 3,973 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Captains oversee the entire operations of a sea vessel, usually ships. Their main responsibility is to ensure that the vessel safely travels from point A to point B. They are expert navigators who manage the course of the vessel. Captains should also be familiar with the different equipment aboard the ship and should be able to use them effectively. They should know how to properly maintain the equipment on board and should also know how to do repairs. Captains also manage their ship's crew and oversee the crews' overall performance. They also manage the finances and other operations-related activities during the course of their travel. Captains should have good communication skills, quick decision-making skills, and expert navigation skills.
Port captains must have skills in vessel maintenance, safety programs, USCG, cargo operations, and ABS. This career requires a U.S. Coast Guard Deck license, with licensure as a Master being preferrable, as well as five years' experience working with vessels in a leadership capacity. Those who embark on this career path supply their maritime expertise to prepare ships. They ensure that all vessels contain the necessary equipment and crew for their respective missions.
Captains and port captains have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Captain | Port Captain | |
| Average salary | $52,161 | $57,720 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $85,000 | Between $34,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Englewood Cliffs, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Crowley Holdings Inc. | |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Energy |
There are a few differences between a captain and a port captain in terms of educational background:
| Captain | Port Captain | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | SUNY Maritime College |
Here are the differences between captains' and port captains' demographics:
| Captain | Port Captain | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.4% Female, 34.6% | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 3.1% White, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |