Sailors and Marine Oilers
Sailors and Marine Oilers (SOC 53-5011) earn a median $51,520 a year ($24.77 an hour) in the United States, with 31,670 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What sailors and marine oilers do
Sailors and marine oilers are the deck and engine-room hands who do the routine work of running a ship or barge. Deck sailors, including able seamen and ordinary seamen, stand watch in the bow or on the bridge wings to look out for obstructions, buoys, and other vessels, measure water depth, and steer when the captain, mate, or pilot directs. They handle mooring lines, rig towing lines, lash barges into tows for tugboats, and rig, overhaul, and store cargo-handling gear and rigging. Marine oilers work below, reading pressure and temperature gauges, recording readings in the engineering log, and checking that machinery has the right pressure and lubricant flow. On tankers, deckhands connect hoses and run pumps to move liquid cargo, and they need a tankerman certification. Maintenance work that preserves the painted surface of the ship and keeps line and equipment in order is part of the job. Government-issued credentials are required, and workers must keep them current.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Able Bodied Seaman (AB Seaman), Able Bodied Watchman (AB Watchman), Able Seaman, Aerographer's Mate, Barge Hand.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.61 | $19.92 | $24.77 | $32.50 | $40.20 | $27.32 | 31,670 |
| Annual | $34,560 | $41,430 | $51,520 | $67,590 | $83,620 | $56,830 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where sailors and marine oilers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $22.50 | $24.28 | $36.60 | $47.93 | $51.93 | $36.26 | 340 | 0.53 | 2.62 |
| Annual | $46,810 | $50,500 | $76,140 | $99,700 | $108,010 | $75,430 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $18.50 | $23.75 | $34.56 | $36.09 | $45.42 | $32.16 | 520 | 0.12 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $38,480 | $49,400 | $71,880 | $75,070 | $94,470 | $66,900 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $21.65 | $25.06 | $33.85 | $42.28 | $43.82 | $33.65 | 210 | 0.10 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $45,040 | $52,120 | $70,410 | $87,950 | $91,140 | $70,000 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.73 | $27.25 | $32.07 | $38.40 | $40.44 | $32.30 | 1,590 | 0.45 | 2.20 |
| Annual | $45,200 | $56,680 | $66,700 | $79,870 | $84,120 | $67,170 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $19.33 | $23.74 | $30.35 | $35.50 | $44.10 | $31.16 | 480 | 1.46 | 7.19 |
| Annual | $40,200 | $49,390 | $63,130 | $73,840 | $91,730 | $64,800 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $14.29 | $18.06 | $22.41 | $29.67 | $44.43 | $26.42 | 7,580 | 3.92 | 19.23 |
| Annual | $29,730 | $37,570 | $46,610 | $61,700 | $92,420 | $54,950 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.44 | $22.21 | $26.74 | $36.87 | $46.07 | $29.86 | 4,270 | 0.30 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $38,360 | $46,190 | $55,610 | $76,700 | $95,820 | $62,110 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $15.70 | $19.33 | $23.62 | $27.85 | $29.16 | $24.11 | 2,970 | 0.72 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $32,660 | $40,210 | $49,120 | $57,930 | $60,650 | $50,160 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.46 | $20.92 | $27.85 | $35.46 | $38.05 | $28.08 | 2,710 | 0.27 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $34,230 | $43,520 | $57,930 | $73,760 | $79,150 | $58,400 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.89 | $20.93 | $26.53 | $33.07 | $38.12 | $26.80 | 1,680 | 0.09 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $37,210 | $43,540 | $55,180 | $68,780 | $79,290 | $55,750 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $32.00 | $32.00 | $38.40 | $40.44 | $41.69 | $36.45 | 200 | 2.11 | 10.38 |
| Annual | $66,560 | $66,560 | $79,870 | $84,120 | $86,710 | $75,810 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $22.50 | $24.79 | $36.70 | $48.17 | $53.08 | $38.33 | 250 | 0.56 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $46,810 | $51,560 | $76,330 | $100,180 | $110,410 | $79,730 | ||||
| Jacksonville, FL | Hourly | $21.17 | $29.11 | $36.31 | $37.07 | $37.14 | $32.40 | 700 | 0.91 | 4.48 |
| Annual | $44,040 | $60,540 | $75,530 | $77,110 | $77,260 | $67,390 | ||||
| Duluth, MN-WI | Hourly | $17.82 | $22.41 | $36.02 | $38.36 | $38.36 | $31.32 | 50 | 0.40 | 1.96 |
| Annual | $37,060 | $46,610 | $74,920 | $79,780 | $79,780 | $65,150 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $20.85 | $28.66 | $35.25 | $38.36 | $48.65 | $34.15 | 80 | 0.44 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $43,360 | $59,610 | $73,320 | $79,780 | $101,200 | $71,040 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.44 | $23.28 | $26.74 | $36.93 | $48.63 | $30.95 | 3,470 | 1.06 | 5.18 |
| Annual | $38,360 | $48,410 | $55,610 | $76,810 | $101,140 | $64,370 | ||||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | Hourly | $15.70 | $20.19 | $23.18 | $27.85 | $29.16 | $24.00 | 2,830 | 3.72 | 18.24 |
| Annual | $32,660 | $42,000 | $48,210 | $57,930 | $60,650 | $49,920 | ||||
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | Hourly | $14.17 | $17.75 | $23.32 | $34.15 | $44.06 | $26.35 | 2,140 | 25.70 | 126.18 |
| Annual | $29,480 | $36,910 | $48,500 | $71,040 | $91,650 | $54,800 | ||||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | Hourly | $13.75 | $17.92 | $20.98 | $33.73 | $46.68 | $28.18 | 1,940 | 4.36 | 21.42 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $37,270 | $43,630 | $70,160 | $97,090 | $58,610 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.45 | $22.48 | $30.07 | $35.15 | $44.68 | $29.32 | 1,720 | 0.18 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $34,210 | $46,750 | $62,550 | $73,110 | $92,930 | $60,990 | ||||
Top industries employing sailors and marine oilers
Inland Water Transportation employ 28.3% of sailors and marine oilers nationally (8,960 jobs) at a median $50,060 a year ($24.07 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Water Transportation (21.5%) and Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (14.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland Water Transportation NAICS 483200 | 8,960 | 28.3% | $50,060 | $24.07 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation NAICS 488300 | 6,820 | 21.5% | $59,370 | $28.54 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation NAICS 483100 | 4,590 | 14.5% | $61,480 | $29.56 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 2,410 | 7.6% | $47,070 | $22.63 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water NAICS 487200 | 1,850 | 5.8% | $37,450 | $18.00 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (31,670). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,720 for sailors and marine oilers in May 2021 and $51,520 in May 2025, with employment of 26,610 and 31,670.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,720 | $22.46 | 26,610 |
| May 2022 | $47,490 | $22.83 | 28,500 |
| May 2023 | $48,400 | $23.27 | 29,960 |
| May 2024 | $49,610 | $23.85 | 31,360 |
| May 2025 | $51,520 | $24.77 | 31,670 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
35 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii profile | $36.60 | $76,140 | $46,810 | $108,010 | 340 | 0.53 | 2.62 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $34.56 | $71,880 | $38,480 | $94,470 | 520 | 0.12 | 0.60 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $33.85 | $70,410 | $45,040 | $91,140 | 210 | 0.10 | 0.51 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $32.07 | $66,700 | $45,200 | $84,120 | 1,590 | 0.45 | 2.20 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $30.35 | $63,130 | $40,200 | $91,730 | 480 | 1.46 | 7.19 |
| 6 | Tennessee profile | $29.12 | $60,580 | $33,070 | $78,070 | 870 | 0.27 | 1.31 |
| 7 | Delaware profile | $28.86 | $60,040 | $44,990 | $63,860 | 80 | 0.16 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Florida profile | $27.85 | $57,930 | $34,230 | $79,150 | 2,710 | 0.27 | 1.34 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | $27.25 | $56,680 | $36,680 | $79,780 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.16 |
| 10 | Indiana profile | $27.20 | $56,570 | $34,470 | $102,210 | 570 | 0.18 | 0.88 |
| 11 | Texas profile | $26.74 | $55,610 | $38,360 | $95,820 | 4,270 | 0.30 | 1.49 |
| 12 | California profile | $26.53 | $55,180 | $37,210 | $79,290 | 1,680 | 0.09 | 0.45 |
| 13 | New York profile | $26.06 | $54,210 | $34,070 | $78,860 | 1,570 | 0.16 | 0.80 |
| 14 | Ohio profile | $25.73 | $53,520 | $31,770 | $58,270 | 140 | 0.03 | 0.13 |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $24.97 | $51,940 | $30,810 | $75,920 | 220 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| 16 | Michigan profile | $24.67 | $51,310 | $37,100 | $62,130 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.28 |
| 17 | South Carolina profile | $24.28 | $50,500 | $33,890 | $83,300 | 210 | 0.09 | 0.45 |
| 18 | Mississippi profile | $24.22 | $50,390 | $35,430 | $61,790 | 490 | 0.42 | 2.07 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $23.62 | $49,120 | $32,660 | $60,650 | 2,970 | 0.72 | 3.54 |
| 20 | Illinois profile | $23.60 | $49,090 | $37,450 | $85,870 | 420 | 0.07 | 0.34 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $23.50 | $48,880 | $33,070 | $76,860 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| 22 | Rhode Island profile | $23.49 | $48,860 | $31,200 | $110,290 | 210 | 0.42 | 2.08 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $23.13 | $48,100 | $35,820 | $60,470 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.24 |
| 24 | Kentucky profile | $22.82 | $47,460 | $36,580 | $62,080 | 1,470 | 0.73 | 3.61 |
| 25 | West Virginia profile | $22.77 | $47,370 | $35,160 | $69,050 | 100 | 0.14 | 0.68 |
| 26 | Maine profile | $22.50 | $46,800 | $39,550 | $60,840 | 240 | 0.37 | 1.81 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $22.41 | $46,610 | $29,730 | $92,420 | 7,580 | 3.92 | 19.23 |
| 28 | Connecticut profile | $21.77 | $45,280 | $37,600 | $73,790 | 400 | 0.24 | 1.16 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $21.52 | $44,770 | $33,420 | $60,240 | 310 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| 30 | Massachusetts profile | $21.19 | $44,070 | $34,180 | $75,130 | 420 | 0.12 | 0.56 |
| 31 | Alabama profile | $20.68 | $43,000 | $38,370 | $70,300 | 290 | 0.14 | 0.67 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $18.66 | $38,810 | $35,810 | $61,630 | 210 | 0.04 | 0.17 |
| 33 | Georgia profile | $18.03 | $37,500 | $25,870 | $48,350 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 34 | Arkansas profile | $11.52 | $23,960 | $22,880 | $60,300 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.27 |
| – | Maryland profile | * | * | * | * | 310 | 0.11 | 0.56 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-5011 Sailors and Marine Oilers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-5011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-5011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.