Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Illinois make a median of $69,600 a year, or about $33.46 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $74,161 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $70K get you in Illinois?
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Illinois runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $77K | +10% | 440 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 31.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,893/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Illinois?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $70K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Illinois pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Illinois?
The median is $69,600 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,210, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $125,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,492/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 31.3% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $74,161 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.