Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Anchorage, AK make a median of $109,580 a year, or about $52.68 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $156K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $103,946 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,376/month, or 18.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $110K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Anchorage sits well above the national pay line for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,376/month, 19.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Anchorage offers a genuinely strong financial position for captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K. Top earners bring in $156K or more, a $113K spread from bottom to top.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $139K | +50% | 450 |
| Tennessee | $133K | +44% | 940 |
| Louisiana | $117K | +27% | 6,830 |
| Texas | $111K | +20% | 3,400 |
| California | $110K | +19% | 2,420 |
| New York | $105K | +13% | 1,930 |
| Mississippi | $104K | +13% | 570 |
| Washington | $104K | +12% | 1,560 |
| Iowa | $98K | +6% | 80 |
| Oregon | $97K | +5% | 350 |
| Indiana | $92K | -0% | 1,010 |
| New Jersey | $90K | -2% | 510 |
| Alaska | $88K | -5% | 710 |
| Virginia | $88K | -5% | 2,270 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -8% | 110 |
| Missouri | $84K | -10% | 420 |
| Minnesota | $81K | -12% | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $79K | -14% | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $78K | -16% | 650 |
| Georgia | $77K | -17% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | -17% | 250 |
| Florida | $76K | -18% | 5,040 |
| New Hampshire | $76K | -18% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $76K | -18% | 380 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | -20% | 170 |
| Delaware | $73K | -21% | 50 |
| Hawaii | $73K | -21% | 700 |
| Maine | $73K | -21% | 360 |
| Illinois | $70K | -25% | 900 |
| North Carolina | $69K | -25% | 490 |
| Alabama | $69K | -25% | 350 |
| Vermont | $64K | -31% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -34% | 580 |
| Arizona | $59K | -37% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -38% | 520 |
| Ohio | $56K | -39% | 420 |
| Michigan | $54K | -42% | 640 |
| Utah | $50K | -46% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 38 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Anchorage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
Yes — at the median salary of $110K, rent takes 19.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,614/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $110K here vs. $92K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Anchorage pays $110K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $104K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $109,580 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,560, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $156,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,123/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 19.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary is worth about $103,946 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.