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Deckhand vs merchant seaman

The differences between deckhands and merchant seamen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a deckhand has an average salary of $56,163, which is higher than the $53,140 average annual salary of a merchant seaman.

The top three skills for a deckhand include TWIC, vessel maintenance and mooring lines. The most important skills for a merchant seaman are cargo operations, cranes, and general maintenance.

Deckhand vs merchant seaman overview

DeckhandMerchant Seaman
Yearly salary$56,163$53,140
Hourly rate$27.00$25.55
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs500627
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 43%High School Diploma, 50%
Average age3333
Years of experience--

Deckhand vs merchant seaman salary

Deckhands and merchant seamen have different pay scales, as shown below.

DeckhandMerchant Seaman
Average salary$56,163$53,140
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $145,000Between $23,000 And $122,000
Highest paying CityBayonne, NJ-
Highest paying stateNew Jersey-
Best paying companyEnterprise Products Partners-
Best paying industry--

Differences between deckhand and merchant seaman education

There are a few differences between a deckhand and a merchant seaman in terms of educational background:

DeckhandMerchant Seaman
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 43%High School Diploma, 50%
Most common majorBusinessCriminal Justice
Most common college--

Deckhand vs merchant seaman demographics

Here are the differences between deckhands' and merchant seamen' demographics:

DeckhandMerchant Seaman
Average age3333
Gender ratioMale, 90.9% Female, 9.1%Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 16.9% Unknown, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 4.8% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%Black or African American, 17.3% Unknown, 9.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between deckhand and merchant seaman duties and responsibilities

Deckhand example responsibilities.

  • Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
  • Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
  • Qualify shipboard firefighting and water survival, certify CPR human resources.
  • Maintain working order of multiple boats including water taxis, ferries, yachts, and passenger vessels.
  • Comply with all environmental and CFR regulations.
  • Sign DOI and go over pretransfer procedures.
  • Show more

Merchant seaman example responsibilities.

  • Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
  • Train in/for basic damage control teams during general quarters and general emergency; shipboard firefighting, controlling compartment flooding.
  • Serve with responsibility for protecting the environment by ensuring the safe transfer of petrochemicals to vessel, dock, or barge.

Deckhand vs merchant seaman skills

Common deckhand skills
  • TWIC, 9%
  • Vessel Maintenance, 9%
  • Mooring Lines, 8%
  • Ladders, 8%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • USCG, 6%
Common merchant seaman skills
  • Cargo Operations, 43%
  • Cranes, 40%
  • General Maintenance, 17%

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