Ship worker demographics and statistics in the US
Ship worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates ship worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our ship worker estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about ship workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 18,866 ship workers currently employed in the United States.
- 45.3% of all ship workers are women, while 54.7% are men.
- The average ship worker age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of ship workers is White (75.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.9%), Black or African American (6.9%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- Ship workers are most in-demand in Danville, PA.
- Baltimore, MD pays an annual average wage of $32,416, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women ship workers earned 93% of what men earned.
- West Virginia is the best state for ship workers to live.
- Ship workers are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Ship worker demographics by:
Ship worker gender statistics
45.3% of ship workers are women and 54.7% of ship workers are men.
- Male, 54.7%
- Female, 45.3%
Ship worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 54.7% |
| Female | 45.3% |
Ship worker gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$30,046
Female income
$27,818
Ship worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in ship worker positions over time. Currently, 45.3% of ship workers are female.
Ship worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.43% | 21.57% |
| 2011 | 66.39% | 33.61% |
| 2012 | 68.66% | 31.34% |
| 2013 | 67.70% | 32.30% |
| 2014 | 69.91% | 30.09% |
| 2015 | 67.19% | 32.81% |
| 2016 | 68.57% | 31.43% |
| 2017 | 61.17% | 38.83% |
| 2018 | 63.58% | 36.42% |
| 2019 | 66.07% | 33.93% |
| 2020 | 51.91% | 48.09% |
| 2021 | 54.73% | 45.27% |
Ship worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared ship workers 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% |
| Ship Worker | 55% | 45% |
| Deck Mate | 98% | 2% |
| Vessel Master | 98% | 2% |
| Barge Captain | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Ship worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among ship workers is White, which makes up 75.2% of all ship workers. Comparatively, 8.9% of ship workers are Hispanic or Latino and 6.9% of ship workers are Black or African American.
- White, 75.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.9%
- Black or African American, 6.9%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Ship worker race
| Ship worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.9% |
| Black or African American | 6.9% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Ship worker race and ethnicity over time
See how ship worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Ship worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.11% | 6.50% | 1.65% | 5.27% |
| 2011 | 82.48% | 6.06% | 0.90% | 6.40% |
| 2012 | 81.47% | 6.32% | 1.52% | 7.42% |
| 2013 | 78.44% | 7.69% | 2.22% | 7.87% |
| 2014 | 83.15% | 6.06% | 1.83% | 6.06% |
| 2015 | 82.24% | 5.90% | 1.62% | 7.13% |
| 2016 | 84.33% | 5.26% | 1.99% | 6.14% |
| 2017 | 79.28% | 6.05% | 2.56% | 7.30% |
| 2018 | 80.83% | 7.68% | 1.43% | 6.50% |
| 2019 | 80.00% | 4.97% | 1.36% | 9.46% |
| 2020 | 76.37% | 5.14% | 1.55% | 8.70% |
| 2021 | 75.24% | 6.88% | 3.14% | 8.93% |
Ship worker wage gap by race
According to our data, asian ship workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american ship workers have the lowest average salary at $27,852.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,249 |
| White | $31,031 |
| Black or African American | $27,852 |
| Asian | $32,297 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $29,000 |
Average ship worker age
See how the average age of ship workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Ship worker 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 |
Ship worker age breakdown
The average age of ship workers is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the ship worker population.
Ship worker age breakdown
| Ship Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
Ship worker educational attainment
The most common degree for ship workers is bachelor's degree, with 35% of ship workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 32% and high school diploma degree at 16%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Ship workers by degree level
| Ship worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Ship worker jobs you might like
Ship worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, ship workers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $31,896 annually. With a Associate degree, ship workers earn a median annual income of $27,713 compared to $26,666 for ship workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $26,666 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $31,896 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,713 |
Ship worker employment statistics
Most ship workers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where ship workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where ship workers work.
Ship worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Ship worker jobs by company type
Employees with the ship worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most ship workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Ship worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 4% |
Ship worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for ship workers are professional, manufacturing and retail.
Ship worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 43% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Government | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Ship worker turnover and employment statistics
Ship worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for ship workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ship worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Ship worker 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 ship worker tenure
The average ship worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 100,132 ship workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Ship worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 42% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Ship worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of ship workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Attendant | 3.71% | 45,768 |
| Car Porter | 4.91% | 15,056 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Ship Worker | 11.14% | - |
| Boat Crew Deck Hand | 11.71% | 67,998 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Similar ship worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Attendant | 3.71% | 45,768 |
| Car Porter | 4.91% | 15,056 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Boat Crew Deck Hand | 11.71% | 67,998 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Foreign languages spoken by ship workers
The most common foreign language among ship workers is Spanish at 62.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.3% and German is the third-most popular at 3.7%.
- Spanish, 62.9%
- French, 9.3%
- German, 3.7%
- Chinese, 3.1%
- Japanese, 2.7%
- Other, 18.3%
Ship worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 62.9% |
| French | 9.3% |
| German | 3.7% |
| Chinese | 3.1% |
| Japanese | 2.7% |
| Other | 18.3% |
