Fishing vessel deckhand vs waterman

The differences between fishing vessel deckhands and watermen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a fishing vessel deckhand and a waterman. Additionally, a waterman has an average salary of $57,125, which is higher than the $50,292 average annual salary of a fishing vessel deckhand.

The top three skills for a fishing vessel deckhand include general maintenance, booms and coast guard. The most important skills for a waterman are patient care, IV, and vital signs.

Fishing vessel deckhand vs waterman overview

	Fishing Vessel Deckhand	Waterman
Yearly salary	$50,292	$57,125
Hourly rate	$24.18	$27.46
Growth rate	1%	9%
Number of jobs	330	95
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Fishing vessel deckhand vs waterman salary

Fishing vessel deckhands and watermen have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fishing Vessel Deckhand	Waterman
Average salary	$50,292	$57,125
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $121,000	Between $26,000 And $121,000
Highest paying City	Channelview, TX	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	American Commercial Lines	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between fishing vessel deckhand and waterman education

There are a few differences between a fishing vessel deckhand and a waterman in terms of educational background:

	Fishing Vessel Deckhand	Waterman
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Management	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Fishing vessel deckhand vs waterman demographics

Here are the differences between fishing vessel deckhands' and watermen' demographics:

	Fishing Vessel Deckhand	Waterman
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 84.7% Female, 15.3%	Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 6.0% White, 73.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.0%	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 6.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between fishing vessel deckhand and waterman duties and responsibilities

Fishing vessel deckhand example responsibilities.

Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
Maintain boat {change oil, lube, paint, gear work, etc .. }
Operate navigational instruments such as GPS and depth sounders.
Tie vessel to barges and boats to be transport to various locations.
Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
Assist with all aspects of the supply boat's operation and maintenance.

Waterman example responsibilities.

Interact routinely with patients, observe behaviors and communicate significant observations to nursing staff.
Gain extensive knowledge in wooden boat building, reconstruction and finishing.
Work a small boat to catch crabs, clams, and oysters for sale to suppliers.
Record target and incidental catch of recreational and charter boats participating in the large pelagic fisheries.

Fishing vessel deckhand vs waterman skills

Common fishing vessel deckhand skills

General Maintenance, 43%
Booms, 29%
Coast Guard, 28%

Common waterman skills

Patient Care, 29%
IV, 24%
Vital Signs, 24%
Blood Pressure, 23%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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