Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL make a median of $63,010 a year, or about $30.29 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.3), that's roughly $64,758 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 23.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Panama City-Panama City Beach’s Regional Price Parity (97.3). 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Panama City-Panama City Beach runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.3) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Panama City-Panama City Beach 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach, 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, Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $85K 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,047/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $63K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Panama City-Panama City Beach compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Panama City-Panama City Beach pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL?
The median is $63,010 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,120, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $119,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Panama City-Panama City Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,389/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 23.2% 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Panama City-Panama City Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 97.3 (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 $64,758 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.