Merchant marine vs deckhand oiler

The differences between merchant marines and deckhand oilers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchant marine has an average salary of $59,752, which is higher than the $52,158 average annual salary of a deckhand oiler.

The top three skills for a merchant marine include safety procedures, vessel security and diesel engines. The most important skills for a deckhand oiler are rig, maintenance tasks, and emergency equipment.

Merchant marine vs deckhand oiler overview

	Merchant Marine	Deckhand Oiler
Yearly salary	$59,752	$52,158
Hourly rate	$28.73	$25.08
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	11,319	361
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	33	33
Years of experience	-	-

Merchant marine vs deckhand oiler salary

Merchant marines and deckhand oilers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Merchant Marine	Deckhand Oiler
Average salary	$59,752	$52,158
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $151,000	Between $24,000 And $112,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between merchant marine and deckhand oiler education

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

	Merchant Marine	Deckhand Oiler
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Merchant marine vs deckhand oiler demographics

Here are the differences between merchant marines' and deckhand oilers' demographics:

	Merchant Marine	Deckhand Oiler
Average age	33	33
Gender ratio	Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2%	Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.0% Unknown, 9.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	Black 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%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between merchant marine and deckhand oiler duties and responsibilities

Merchant marine example responsibilities.

Manage the logistics and operation of 23 work centers locate at five separate sites in a dynamic operational environment.
Operate and maintain firefighting safety equipment and maintain ships operational condition.
Ensure that the facilities capabilities are complimentary to the task request by FEMA logistics.
Develop and present briefings to management and senior leadership.
Organize multiple emergency airlifts of repair parts and ammunition under stressful combat conditions.
Establish valuable links with receiving combat units and ensure accurate delivery of critical supplies.

Deckhand oiler example responsibilities.

Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
Used lines, wires, ratchets and stationary winches to transport midstream fuel barges at ports across the inland waterway system.
Pump bilges and clean strainers, filters, and centrifuges.
Create database to track and schedule maintenance for engines, tools, and centrifuges.

Merchant marine vs deckhand oiler skills

Common merchant marine skills

Safety Procedures, 29%
Vessel Security, 17%
Diesel Engines, 14%
Cargo Operations, 10%
Deck Hand, 9%
USCG, 5%

Common deckhand oiler skills

Rig, 60%
Maintenance Tasks, 26%
Emergency Equipment, 14%

Merchant Marine vs. similar jobs

Merchant Marine related careers

Merchant Marine related jobs

What similar roles do

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Merchant Marine
Merchant Marine vs Deckhand Oiler

Updated January 8, 2025

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