Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL make a median of $74,260 a year, or about $35.7 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $74,260 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,709/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $74K get you in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,709/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in metros near Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $78K | $69K |
| Jacksonville | $83K | $84K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $77K | $76K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $80K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $95K 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 33.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,709/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
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 $2,278/month. At HUD’s $1,709/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $74K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL?
The median is $74,260 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,970, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $132,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,052/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,709/month, which eats 33.8% 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary is worth about $74,260 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.