Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary in San Diego, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

Median annual salary $74,850 -12.5% vs national
Median hourly $35.98
10th percentile $55,240
90th percentile $113,670
Employed locally 280
National median $85,540

Compare Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how San Diego, CA stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
in
San Diego, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $55,240
    25th
    $58,840
    50th (median)
    $74,850
    75th
    $90,360
    90th
    $113,670

    San Diego economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.30% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $102,285 2023 • Census ACS
    Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary vs area income 73% Median Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary is 27% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $160,320
    Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $116,620
    Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $116,130
    Lake Charles, LA $113,350
    Mississippi $112,670
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $110,810

    Nearby metros — Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $110,810
    Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $101,940
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $101,650
    Paducah, KY-IL $88,600
    Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $87,670
    California $79,560

    Related occupations in San Diego, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $39,000
    Stockers and Order Fillers $38,690
    Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,480
    Light Truck Drivers $43,820
    Packers and Packagers, Hand $36,500
    First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $58,360

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels make per hour in San Diego?

    The median hourly wage for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in San Diego, CA is $35.98, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $60.43 or more per hour.

    Is San Diego above or below average for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salaries?

    The median Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary in San Diego, CA is 12.5% below the national median of $85,540. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in San Diego?

    Entry-level Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (10th percentile) earn around $55,240 per year in San Diego, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $58,840.