Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC make a median of $47,590 a year, or about $22.88 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.02), that's roughly $48,551 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,816/month, about 55.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal’s Regional Price Parity (98.02). 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal runs about 49% below the U.S. median of $92K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,816/month, which is 56.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.02) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in metros near Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $91K | $90K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $44K | $47K |
| Wilmington | $63K | $66K |
| Savannah | $81K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $45K 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 56.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,816/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,656/month. At HUD’s $1,816/month FMR, rent would take 110% 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Local pay runs 49% below the national median — $48K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -49%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.02), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?
The median is $47,590 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,600, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $72,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,238/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,816/month, which eats 56.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary go in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal has a Regional Price Parity of 98.02 (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 $48,551 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.