Vessel captain demographics and statistics in the US
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Vessel captain demographics by:
Vessel captain gender statistics
4.0% of vessel captains are women and 96.0% of vessel captains are men.
- Male, 96.0%
- Female, 4.0%
Vessel captain gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 96.0% |
| Female | 4.0% |
Vessel captain gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$61,289
Female income
$55,633
Vessel captain gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in vessel captain positions over time. Currently, 4.0% of vessel captains are female.
Vessel captain gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 98.65% | 1.35% |
| 2011 | 97.54% | 2.46% |
| 2012 | 97.78% | 2.22% |
| 2013 | 97.68% | 2.32% |
| 2014 | 97.90% | 2.10% |
| 2015 | 97.63% | 2.37% |
| 2016 | 97.77% | 2.23% |
| 2017 | 96.94% | 3.06% |
| 2018 | 97.23% | 2.77% |
| 2019 | 97.51% | 2.49% |
| 2020 | 95.59% | 4.41% |
| 2021 | 96.05% | 3.95% |
Vessel captain related jobs gender ratio
We compared vessel captains 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% |
| Vessel Captain | 96% | 4% |
| Deck Mate | 98% | 2% |
| Vessel Master | 98% | 2% |
| Barge Captain | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Vessel captain demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among vessel captains is White, which makes up 74.8% of all vessel captains. Comparatively, 9.1% of vessel captains are Hispanic or Latino and 7.1% of vessel captains are Black or African American.
- White, 74.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.1%
- Black or African American, 7.1%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- Asian, 3.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Vessel captain race
| Vessel captain race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 74.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.1% |
| Black or African American | 7.1% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| Asian | 3.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Vessel captain race and ethnicity over time
See how vessel captain racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Vessel captain race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83.71% | 6.68% | 1.67% | 5.45% |
| 2011 | 82.07% | 6.24% | 0.93% | 6.57% |
| 2012 | 81.06% | 6.50% | 1.54% | 7.59% |
| 2013 | 78.03% | 7.87% | 2.24% | 8.05% |
| 2014 | 82.74% | 6.23% | 1.86% | 6.23% |
| 2015 | 81.83% | 6.07% | 1.65% | 7.30% |
| 2016 | 83.92% | 5.44% | 2.02% | 6.31% |
| 2017 | 78.87% | 6.22% | 2.59% | 7.47% |
| 2018 | 80.42% | 7.86% | 1.45% | 6.67% |
| 2019 | 79.59% | 5.14% | 1.39% | 9.64% |
| 2020 | 75.97% | 5.31% | 1.58% | 8.88% |
| 2021 | 74.83% | 7.05% | 3.17% | 9.10% |
Vessel captain wage gap by race
According to our data, asian vessel captains have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american vessel captains have the lowest average salary at $55,718.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $61,809 |
| White | $63,826 |
| Black or African American | $55,718 |
| Asian | $67,114 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $58,620 |
Average vessel captain age
See how the average age of vessel captains varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Vessel captain 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 |
Vessel captain age breakdown
The average age of vessel captains is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the vessel captain population.
Vessel captain age breakdown
| Vessel Captain Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
Vessel captain educational attainment
The most common degree for vessel captains is bachelor's degree, with 56% of vessel captains earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Vessel captains by degree level
| Vessel captain degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 56% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Master's | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Vessel captain jobs you might like
Vessel captain wage gap by degree level
According to the data, vessel captains with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $66,070 annually. With a Associate degree, vessel captains earn a median annual income of $55,369 compared to $52,752 for vessel captains with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,752 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $66,070 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,369 |
Vessel captain employment statistics
Most vessel captains work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where vessel captains work
Below, you can see the size of companies where vessel captains work.
Vessel captain jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 6% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 39% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Vessel captain jobs by company type
Employees with the vessel captain job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most vessel captains prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Vessel captain jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 21% |
| Private | 58% |
| Government | 12% |
Vessel captain jobs by industry
The most common industries for vessel captains are transportation, energy and government.
Vessel captain industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 16% |
| Energy | 16% |
| Government | 13% |
| Education | 9% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Agriculture | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
Vessel captain turnover and employment statistics
Vessel captain unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for vessel captains between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Vessel captain unemployment rate by year
| Year | Vessel captain 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 vessel captain tenure
The average vessel captain stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 230 vessel captains resumes in Zippia's database.
Vessel captain tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Vessel captain LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of vessel captains 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 Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 46,347 |
| Picker And Packer | 4.53% | 67,478 |
| Car Washer | 4.91% | 41,702 |
| Vessel Captain | 11.14% | - |
| Bosun | 11.71% | 143 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Similar vessel captain jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 46,347 |
| Picker And Packer | 4.53% | 67,478 |
| Car Washer | 4.91% | 41,702 |
| Bosun | 11.71% | 143 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Foreign languages spoken by vessel captains
The most common foreign language among vessel captains is Spanish at 36.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 18.2% and Norwegian is the third-most popular at 9.1%.
- Spanish, 36.4%
- Russian, 18.2%
- Norwegian, 9.1%
- Carrier, 9.1%
- Dakota, 9.1%
- Other, 18.1%
Vessel captain languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 36.4% |
| Russian | 18.2% |
| Norwegian | 9.1% |
| Carrier | 9.1% |
| Dakota | 9.1% |
| Other | 18.1% |