Vessel operator demographics and statistics in the US
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Vessel operator demographics by:
Vessel operator gender statistics
12.4% of vessel operators are women and 87.6% of vessel operators are men.
- Male, 87.6%
- Female, 12.4%
Vessel operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 87.6% |
| Female | 12.4% |
Vessel operator gender pay gap
Women earn 85¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$59,570
Female income
$50,798
Vessel operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in vessel operator positions over time. Currently, 12.4% of vessel operators are female.
Vessel operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.51% | 4.49% |
| 2011 | 92.03% | 7.97% |
| 2012 | 92.76% | 7.24% |
| 2013 | 92.46% | 7.54% |
| 2014 | 93.14% | 6.86% |
| 2015 | 92.29% | 7.71% |
| 2016 | 92.73% | 7.27% |
| 2017 | 90.21% | 9.79% |
| 2018 | 91.08% | 8.92% |
| 2019 | 91.93% | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 86.33% | 13.67% |
| 2021 | 87.61% | 12.39% |
Vessel operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared vessel operators 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 Operator | 88% | 12% |
| 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 operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among vessel operators is White, which makes up 75.1% of all vessel operators. Comparatively, 9.0% of vessel operators are Hispanic or Latino and 6.9% of vessel operators are Black or African American.
- White, 75.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.0%
- Black or African American, 6.9%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Vessel operator race
| Vessel operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.9% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Vessel operator race and ethnicity over time
See how vessel operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Vessel operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.01% | 6.55% | 1.65% | 5.32% |
| 2011 | 82.37% | 6.11% | 0.91% | 6.44% |
| 2012 | 81.36% | 6.37% | 1.52% | 7.46% |
| 2013 | 78.33% | 7.74% | 2.23% | 7.92% |
| 2014 | 83.04% | 6.10% | 1.84% | 6.10% |
| 2015 | 82.13% | 5.95% | 1.63% | 7.17% |
| 2016 | 84.22% | 5.31% | 2.00% | 6.18% |
| 2017 | 79.17% | 6.09% | 2.57% | 7.34% |
| 2018 | 80.72% | 7.73% | 1.43% | 6.54% |
| 2019 | 79.89% | 5.02% | 1.37% | 9.51% |
| 2020 | 76.27% | 5.18% | 1.56% | 8.75% |
| 2021 | 75.13% | 6.92% | 3.15% | 8.97% |
Vessel operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian vessel operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american vessel operators have the lowest average salary at $50,970.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $58,675 |
| White | $62,045 |
| Black or African American | $50,970 |
| Asian | $72,805 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,527 |
Average vessel operator age
See how the average age of vessel operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Vessel operator 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 operator age breakdown
The average age of vessel operators is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the vessel operator population.
Vessel operator age breakdown
| Vessel Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
Vessel operator educational attainment
The most common degree for vessel operators is bachelor's degree, with 58% of vessel operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Associate, 17%
- Master's, 12%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Vessel operators by degree level
| Vessel operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 58% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Master's | 12% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Vessel operator jobs you might like
Vessel operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, vessel operators with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $63,439 annually. With a Associate degree, vessel operators earn a median annual income of $49,203 compared to $46,343 for vessel operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $46,343 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,439 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,203 |
Vessel operator employment statistics
Most vessel operators work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where vessel operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where vessel operators work.
Vessel operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Vessel operator jobs by company type
Employees with the vessel operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most vessel operators prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Vessel operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 16% |
Vessel operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for vessel operators are transportation, government and manufacturing.
Vessel operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 22% |
| Government | 16% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Energy | 6% |
| Education | 6% |
| Internet | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
Vessel operator turnover and employment statistics
Vessel operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for vessel operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Vessel operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Vessel operator 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 operator tenure
The average vessel operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 140 vessel operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Vessel operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Vessel operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of vessel operators 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 Parker | 3.71% | 3,214 |
| Detail Specialist | 4.91% | 5,840 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Vessel Operator | 11.14% | - |
| Ferry Engineer | 11.71% | 704 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Similar vessel operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Parker | 3.71% | 3,214 |
| Detail Specialist | 4.91% | 5,840 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Ferry Engineer | 11.71% | 704 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Foreign languages spoken by vessel operators
The most common foreign language among vessel operators is Spanish at 33.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.3% and Italian is the third-most popular at 13.3%.
- Spanish, 33.3%
- French, 13.3%
- Italian, 13.3%
- Portuguese, 6.7%
- Chinese, 6.7%
- Other, 26.7%
Vessel operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 33.3% |
| French | 13.3% |
| Italian | 13.3% |
| Portuguese | 6.7% |
| Chinese | 6.7% |
| Other | 26.7% |