First mate demographics and statistics in the US
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First mate demographics by:
First mate gender statistics
18.4% of first mates are women and 81.6% of first mates are men.
- Male, 81.6%
- Female, 18.4%
First mate gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.6% |
| Female | 18.4% |
First mate gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,389
Female income
$34,513
First mate gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in first mate positions over time. Currently, 18.4% of first mates are female.
First mate gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.02% | 6.98% |
| 2011 | 87.86% | 12.14% |
| 2012 | 88.92% | 11.08% |
| 2013 | 88.48% | 11.52% |
| 2014 | 89.49% | 10.51% |
| 2015 | 88.24% | 11.76% |
| 2016 | 88.88% | 11.12% |
| 2017 | 85.23% | 14.77% |
| 2018 | 86.48% | 13.52% |
| 2019 | 87.71% | 12.29% |
| 2020 | 79.82% | 20.18% |
| 2021 | 81.58% | 18.42% |
First mate related jobs gender ratio
We compared first mates with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, barge captain and vessel master have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Relief Master | 17% | 83% |
| First Mate | 82% | 18% |
| Deck Mate | 98% | 2% |
| Vessel Master | 98% | 2% |
| Barge Captain | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
First mate demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among first mates is White, which makes up 75.4% of all first mates. Comparatively, 8.9% of first mates are Hispanic or Latino and 6.8% of first mates are Black or African American.
- White, 75.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.9%
- Black or African American, 6.8%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
First mate race
| First mate race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.9% |
| Black or African American | 6.8% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
First mate race and ethnicity over time
See how first mate racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
First mate race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.27% | 6.44% | 1.64% | 5.21% |
| 2011 | 82.63% | 6.00% | 0.89% | 6.33% |
| 2012 | 81.63% | 6.26% | 1.51% | 7.35% |
| 2013 | 78.60% | 7.63% | 2.21% | 7.81% |
| 2014 | 83.30% | 5.99% | 1.82% | 5.99% |
| 2015 | 82.39% | 5.83% | 1.61% | 7.06% |
| 2016 | 84.48% | 5.20% | 1.98% | 6.07% |
| 2017 | 79.43% | 5.98% | 2.55% | 7.23% |
| 2018 | 80.98% | 7.62% | 1.42% | 6.43% |
| 2019 | 80.15% | 4.90% | 1.36% | 9.40% |
| 2020 | 76.53% | 5.07% | 1.55% | 8.64% |
| 2021 | 75.39% | 6.81% | 3.13% | 8.86% |
First mate wage gap by race
According to our data, asian first mates have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american first mates have the lowest average salary at $34,571.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,747 |
| White | $40,139 |
| Black or African American | $34,571 |
| Asian | $42,418 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,555 |
Average first mate age
See how the average age of first mates varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
First mate age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40.5 | |
| White | 42 | 36.5 |
| Black or African American | 33 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 |
First mate age breakdown
The average age of first mates is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the first mate population.
First mate age breakdown
| First Mate Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
First mate educational attainment
The most common degree for first mates is bachelor's degree, with 58% of first mates earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 17% and high school diploma degree at 14%.
- Bachelor's, 58%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
First mates by degree level
| First mate degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 58% |
| High School Diploma | 17% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
First mate jobs you might like
First mate wage gap by degree level
According to the data, first mates with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $41,693 annually. With a Associate degree, first mates earn a median annual income of $34,333 compared to $32,554 for first mates with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,554 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,693 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,333 |
First mate employment statistics
Most first mates work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where first mates work
Below, you can see the size of companies where first mates work.
First mate jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 5% |
First mate jobs by company type
Employees with the first mate job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most first mates prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
First mate jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 8% |
First mate jobs by industry
The most common industries for first mates are hospitality, manufacturing and professional.
First mate industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 15% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Non Profits | 7% |
| Transportation | 6% |
| Government | 6% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Education | 3% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
First mate turnover and employment statistics
First mate unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for first mates between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
First mate unemployment rate by year
| Year | First mate unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.41% |
| 2011 | 10.93% |
| 2012 | 6.16% |
| 2013 | 6.36% |
| 2014 | 5.13% |
| 2015 | 4.28% |
| 2016 | 5.59% |
| 2017 | 5.70% |
| 2018 | 4.55% |
| 2019 | 3.70% |
| 2020 | 7.51% |
| 2021 | 4.71% |
Average first mate tenure
The average first mate stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,741 first mates resumes in Zippia's database.
First mate tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
First mate LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of first mates that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Washer | 4.91% | 37,789 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| First Mate | 11.14% | - |
| Barge Engineer | 11.71% | 2,234 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Similar first mate jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Washer | 4.91% | 37,789 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Barge Engineer | 11.71% | 2,234 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Foreign languages spoken by first mates
The most common foreign language among first mates is Spanish at 59.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 8.1% and German is the third-most popular at 8.1%.
- Spanish, 59.5%
- Chinese, 8.1%
- German, 8.1%
- Japanese, 8.1%
- French, 5.4%
- Other, 10.8%
First mate languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.5% |
| Chinese | 8.1% |
| German | 8.1% |
| Japanese | 8.1% |
| French | 5.4% |
| Other | 10.8% |
