Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in New Jersey make a median of $90,310 a year, or about $43.42 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $90,910 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $90K get you in New Jersey?
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $90K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $106K spread from bottom to top.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by metro in New Jersey
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $80K | -11% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 New Jersey?
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 $3,025/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $90K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
New Jersey pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in New Jersey?
The median is $90,310 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,420, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $156,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,691/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 36.3% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $90,910 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.