Merchant marine vs merchant seaman

The differences between merchant marines and merchant seamen 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 $53,140 average annual salary of a merchant seaman.

The top three skills for a merchant marine include safety procedures, vessel security and diesel engines. The most important skills for a merchant seaman are cargo operations, cranes, and general maintenance.

Merchant marine vs merchant seaman overview

	Merchant Marine	Merchant Seaman
Yearly salary	$59,752	$53,140
Hourly rate	$28.73	$25.55
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	11,319	627
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	33	33
Years of experience	-	-

Merchant marine vs merchant seaman salary

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

	Merchant Marine	Merchant Seaman
Average salary	$59,752	$53,140
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $151,000	Between $23,000 And $122,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between merchant marine and merchant seaman education

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

	Merchant Marine	Merchant Seaman
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Merchant marine vs merchant seaman demographics

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

	Merchant Marine	Merchant Seaman
Average age	33	33
Gender ratio	Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2%	Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%
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, 17.3% Unknown, 9.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between merchant marine and merchant seaman 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.

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.

Merchant marine vs merchant seaman skills

Common merchant marine skills

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

Common merchant seaman skills

Cargo Operations, 43%
Cranes, 40%
General Maintenance, 17%

Merchant Marine vs. similar jobs

Merchant Marine related careers

Merchant Marine related jobs

What similar roles do

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Transportation Industry
Merchant Marine
Merchant Marine vs Merchant Seaman

Updated January 8, 2025

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