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Ordinary seaman vs merchant seaman

The differences between ordinary seamen and merchant seamen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchant seaman has an average salary of $53,140, which is higher than the $52,664 average annual salary of an ordinary seaman.

The top three skills for an ordinary seaman include vessel maintenance, safety equipment and ladders. The most important skills for a merchant seaman are cargo operations, cranes, and general maintenance.

Ordinary seaman vs merchant seaman overview

Ordinary SeamanMerchant Seaman
Yearly salary$52,664$53,140
Hourly rate$25.32$25.55
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs169627
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 36%High School Diploma, 50%
Average age3333
Years of experience--

Ordinary seaman vs merchant seaman salary

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

Ordinary SeamanMerchant Seaman
Average salary$52,664$53,140
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $120,000Between $23,000 And $122,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between ordinary seaman and merchant seaman education

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

Ordinary SeamanMerchant Seaman
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 36%High School Diploma, 50%
Most common majorBusinessCriminal Justice
Most common college--

Ordinary seaman vs merchant seaman demographics

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

Ordinary SeamanMerchant Seaman
Average age3333
Gender ratioMale, 91.9% Female, 8.1%Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 17.4% Unknown, 9.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%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 ordinary seaman and merchant seaman duties and responsibilities

Ordinary seaman example responsibilities.

  • Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
  • Clean hulls, keel, rudder, props.
  • Conduct drills according to protocols specify by the USCG.
  • Acquire all extracurricular IMO and USCG certifications, self-bankrol.
  • Prime and paint the decks with fresh coats of paint.
  • Conduct drills, demonstrations of hydraulics, pump operations and firefighting techniques.
  • 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.

Ordinary seaman vs merchant seaman skills

Common ordinary seaman skills
  • Vessel Maintenance, 20%
  • Safety Equipment, 12%
  • Ladders, 9%
  • TWIC, 8%
  • Mooring Lines, 7%
  • Stcw, 6%
Common merchant seaman skills
  • Cargo Operations, 43%
  • Cranes, 40%
  • General Maintenance, 17%

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