Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Corpus Christi, TX make a median of $79,060 a year, or about $38.01 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.67), which stretches that salary to about $85,313 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,366/month, or 24.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Corpus Christi?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Corpus Christi’s Regional Price Parity (92.67). 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
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What this looks like in Corpus Christi
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Corpus Christi runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,366/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Corpus Christi, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $119K | $120K |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $112K | $125K |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $104K | $121K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $104K | $122K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Corpus Christi, TX
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $76K 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 Corpus Christi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Corpus Christi?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 25.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,366/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 Corpus Christi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,999/month. At HUD’s $1,366/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Corpus Christi?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $79K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Corpus Christi compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Corpus Christi pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Corpus Christi, TX?
The median is $79,060 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,990, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $126,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Corpus Christi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,334/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,366/month, which eats 25.6% 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 Corpus Christi?
Corpus Christi has a Regional Price Parity of 92.67 (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 $85,313 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.