All careers › Sailors and Marine Oilers
Deckhand: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $34,560lowest 10% earn less
- $41,43025th percentile
- $51,520median
- $67,59075th percentile
- $83,620top 10% earn more
Deckhands, which BLS calls sailors and marine oilers, had a median pay of $51,520 a year[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.2% over the decade[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +3.2%[2]
- Openings per year
- 3,600[5]
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential[6]
How much do deckhands make?
The median pay for sailors and marine oilers was $51,520 a year, or $24.77 an hour[1]. That means about half of workers earned more and about half earned less[7]. The average was higher at $56,830 a year, or $27.32 an hour[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980[4], so deckhand pay sits just above it.
The range is wide. The table shows the wage boundaries BLS publishes.
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest-paid 10% earned less than[3][9] | $34,560 | $16.61 |
| Lowest-paid 25% earned less than[3][9] | $41,430 | $19.92 |
| Median[1] | $51,520 | $24.77 |
| Highest-paid 25% earned more than[3][9] | $67,590 | $32.50 |
| Highest-paid 10% earned more than[3][9] | $83,620 | $40.20 |
BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[7]. These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].
Pay by state and city
Hawaii had the highest state median at $76,140, followed by New Jersey at $71,880 and Oregon at $70,410[11]. Those states have fewer jobs than the big hiring states[11][12]. The most deckhand jobs were in Louisiana with 7,580, then Texas with 4,270 and Virginia with 2,970[12]. Louisiana's median was $46,610 and Texas's was $55,610[11].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA led on pay at $79,870[13]. Urban Honolulu, HI followed at $76,330, then Jacksonville, FL at $75,530[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX with 3,470[14].
Show median pay in 34 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii[11] | $76,140 | 340 |
| New Jersey | $71,880 | 520 |
| Oregon | $70,410 | 210 |
| Washington | $66,700 | 1,590 |
| Alaska | $63,130 | 480 |
| Tennessee | $60,580 | 870 |
| Delaware | $60,040 | 80 |
| Florida | $57,930 | 2,710 |
| Minnesota | $56,680 | 90 |
| Indiana | $56,570 | 570 |
| Texas | $55,610 | 4,270 |
| California | $55,180 | 1,680 |
| New York | $54,210 | 1,570 |
| Ohio | $53,520 | 140 |
| Missouri | $51,940 | 220 |
| Michigan | $51,310 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $50,500 | 210 |
| Mississippi | $50,390 | 490 |
| Virginia | $49,120 | 2,970 |
| Illinois | $49,090 | 420 |
| Wisconsin | $48,880 | 110 |
| Rhode Island | $48,860 | 210 |
| Iowa | $48,100 | 70 |
| Kentucky | $47,460 | 1,470 |
| West Virginia | $47,370 | 100 |
| Maine | $46,800 | 240 |
| Louisiana | $46,610 | 7,580 |
| Connecticut | $45,280 | 400 |
| North Carolina | $44,770 | 310 |
| Massachusetts | $44,070 | 420 |
| Alabama | $43,000 | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,810 | 210 |
| Georgia | $37,500 | 80 |
| Arkansas | $23,960 | 70 |
How to become a deckhand
BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry[6]. The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers water transportation workers as a wider group, not only deckhands[15].
- First: get hired. BLS says no education is required for entry-level sailors and marine oilers[16].
- Next: learn on the job. BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[6], and says new sailors and marine oilers typically train from 1 month to 1 year after they are hired[17]. Large vessels on open seas tend to need the most training[17].
- Then: get the credentials your job requires. Most water transportation jobs call for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential from the TSA and a Merchant Mariner Credential from the Coast Guard[18]. Mariners on the open ocean also need Coast Guard-verified STCW training[19].
Some people enter through an apprenticeship. These programs can last several years and combine technical instruction with paid training on a vessel[20]. Requirements may also include a security or drug screening, approved training, or written and physical exams[21]. O*NET adds that workers on liquid-carrying vessels must hold tankerman certification[22].
What deckhands do
Deckhands keep a ship running and safe on deck. O*NET describes tasks like these[22][23]:
- Keep required government certifications current.
- Handle lines to tie a vessel to a dock or to another vessel, or to rig towing lines.
- Stand watch at the bow or on the bridge wings to look for obstacles and navigation aids such as buoys.
- Splice and repair ropes and cables.
- Operate, maintain or repair deck equipment such as winches and cranes.
- Wash down decks, chip rust and paint surfaces.
- Oil moving parts and help engineers with repairs.
Where they work
The largest employer group of water transportation workers in 2025 was inland water transportation, at 24%[24]. Only 0.5% of sailors and marine oilers were self-employed[25].
BLS says water transportation workers often spend long periods aboard ships away from home and may be exposed to all kinds of weather[26]. BLS says living quarters on most vessels are comfortable and meals may be provided[27]. Most of these workers work full time, and many put in over 40 hours a week[28]. Barge and deep-sea crews may spend weeks or months away and work on board 7 days a week[28]. Some of the work is seasonal. Crews on the Great Lakes often stop in winter when the lakes freeze[29].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of sailors and marine oilers to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 33,000 to 34,100 jobs[2]. That is a little slower than the 3.5% projected for all occupations[30]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2].
BLS expects about 3,600 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 6.8% move to a different occupation[31].
Is it a good fit?
The facts suggest this job suits people who want to start without a degree[16] and are willing to learn on the job over as much as a year[17]. Pay is close to the all-occupations median, with a wide spread between the lowest-paid and highest-paid workers[1][4][3]. Growth is projected slightly below the all-occupations rate[2][30]. The work often means long periods aboard ships away from home[26]. Work schedules vary, depending on the job[28].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a deckhand make an hour?
- The median was $24.77 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $27.32[1][8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $16.61 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $40.20[9].
- What degree do you need to be a deckhand?
- BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry[6][16]. Training happens on the job and typically lasts 1 month to 1 year after hire[17].
- Do deckhands need a Coast Guard credential?
- Most water transportation jobs need a Merchant Mariner Credential from the Coast Guard and a TWIC from the TSA[18]. This comes from a profile covering a wider group of workers[15].
- Is deckhand work in demand?
- BLS projects 3.2% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 3,600 openings a year[2][30][5].
- What is the highest paying state for deckhands?
- Hawaii had the highest median at $76,140, then New Jersey at $71,880 and Oregon at $70,410[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Sailors and Marine Oilers in the US was $51,520 per year and $24.77 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Sailors and Marine Oilers is projected to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 33,000 to 34,100 jobs (a change of +1,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Sailors and Marine Oilers: 10th percentile $34,560, 25th percentile $41,430, 75th percentile $67,590, 90th percentile $83,620. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 3,600 openings for Sailors and Marine Oilers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Sailors and Marine Oilers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Sailors and Marine Oilers was $56,830 per year and $27.32 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Sailors and Marine Oilers: 10th percentile $16.61, 25th percentile $19.92, 75th percentile $32.50, 90th percentile $40.20. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Sailors and Marine Oilers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Sailors and Marine Oilers jobs: Louisiana 7,580; Texas 4,270; Virginia 2,970; Florida 2,710; California 1,680. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Sailors and Marine Oilers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $79,870; Urban Honolulu, HI $76,330; Jacksonville, FL $75,530; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $68,780; Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $68,740; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $68,740; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $63,900; Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $62,650. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Sailors and Marine Oilers jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 3,470 (median $55,610); Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 2,830 (median $48,210); Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 2,140 (median $48,500); New Orleans-Metairie, LA 1,940 (median $43,630); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,720 (median $62,550); Baton Rouge, LA 1,310 (median $47,520). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Water Transportation Workers" covers Sailors and Marine Oilers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Sailors and Marine Oilers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Sailors and Marine Oilers. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of water transportation workers in 2025: Inland water transportation 24%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.5% of Sailors and Marine Oilers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Sailors and Marine Oilers: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.