Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH make a median of $70,600 a year, or about $33.94 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $267K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $120K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.42), which stretches that salary to about $79,846 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $973/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $71K get you in Huntington-Ashland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Huntington-Ashland’s Regional Price Parity (88.42). 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.
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
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What this looks like in Huntington-Ashland
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Huntington-Ashland runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $973/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.42 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Huntington-Ashland can be a reasonable trade-off for captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in metros near Huntington-Ashland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $87K | $89K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $130K | $140K |
| Pittsburgh | $48K | $51K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $104K | $101K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $267K or more, a $230K 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 Huntington-Ashland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Huntington-Ashland?
Yes — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/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 Huntington-Ashland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,265/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Huntington-Ashland?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $71K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Huntington-Ashland compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Huntington-Ashland pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH?
The median is $70,600 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,750, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $267,380. The mean (average) is $119,620, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Huntington-Ashland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,611/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 21.1% 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 Huntington-Ashland?
Huntington-Ashland has a Regional Price Parity of 88.42 (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 $79,846 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.