Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY make a median of $77,120 a year, or about $37.08 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.84), that's roughly $80,467 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,343/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K get you in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Buffalo-Cheektowaga’s Regional Price Parity (95.84). 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.
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Buffalo-Cheektowaga runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,343/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.84) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in metros near Buffalo-Cheektowaga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $106K | $94K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $75K | $75K |
| Rochester | $76K | $78K |
| Barnstable Town | $83K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $125K 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,343/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,794/month. At HUD’s $1,343/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $77K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Buffalo-Cheektowaga compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
The median is $77,120 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,570, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $171,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,917/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,343/month, which eats 27.3% 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga has a Regional Price Parity of 95.84 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary is worth about $80,467 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.