Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Oklahoma make a median of $79,110 a year, or about $38.03 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $90,453 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,081/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Oklahoma. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $79K get you in Oklahoma?
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
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What this looks like in Oklahoma
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Oklahoma runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,081/month, 21.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Oklahoma can be a reasonable trade-off for captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oklahoma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 21.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/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 Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,326/month. At HUD’s $1,081/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Oklahoma?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $79K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Oklahoma pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Oklahoma?
The median is $79,110 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,440, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $111,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 21.3% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $90,453 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.