Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Virginia make a median of $87,610 a year, or about $42.12 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $92,425 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 29.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $88K get you in Virginia?
About captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
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What this looks like in Virginia
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $88K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $78K spread from bottom to top.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $87K | -1% | 2,050 |
Compare to other states
Track captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a captains, mates, and pilots of water vessel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 30.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Virginia?
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 $3,274/month. At HUD’s $1,646/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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $88K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels?
Virginia pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — below the national median.
How much do captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels make in Virginia?
The median is $87,610 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,560, and experienced captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels can clear $132,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,458/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 30.2% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $92,425 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.