Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Traverse City, MI make a median of $79,440 a year, or about $38.19 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.37), which stretches that salary to about $85,081 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,224/month, or 23.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Traverse City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Traverse City’s Regional Price Parity (93.37). 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 Traverse City
Pay for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Traverse City runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,224/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.37 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Traverse City 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 Traverse City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $41K | $41K |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $60K | $65K |
| Evansville | $62K | $67K |
| Cincinnati | $80K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Traverse City, MI
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $76K 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 Traverse City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Traverse City?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,224/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 Traverse City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,731/month. At HUD’s $1,224/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Traverse City?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $79K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Traverse City compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Traverse City pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Traverse City, MI?
The median is $79,440 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,510, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $121,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Traverse City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,075/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,224/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Traverse City?
Traverse City has a Regional Price Parity of 93.37 (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 $85,081 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.