Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Tennessee make a median of $132,710 a year, or about $63.8 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $215K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $147,817 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $133K get you in Tennessee?
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Tennessee sits well above the national pay line for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels, local pay runs about 44% higher than the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 14.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Tennessee offers a genuinely strong financial position for captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $215K or more, a $155K spread from bottom to top.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by metro in Tennessee
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $81K | -39% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 14.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,616/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay is 44% above the national median — $133K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Tennessee pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $148K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Tennessee?
The median is $132,710 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,270, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $215,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,455/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 14.4% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $147,817 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.