Shipmaster View

As of 2007, captains of U.S.-flagged deep sea vessels make US$400 per day and up, or US$80,000 to US$120,000 per year. Captains of smaller vessels in the inland and coastal trade earn between US$151 and US$275 per day, or US$55,000 to $68,000 per year. Captains of large ferries average US$46,794 annually.
In 2005, 3,393 mariners held active unlimited master's licenses. 87 held near-coastal licenses with unlimited tonnage, 291 held unlimited tonnage master's licenses on inland and Great Lakes waters, while 1,044 held unlimited licenses upon inland waters only. Some 47,163 active masters licenses that year had tonnage restrictions, well over half of those being for near-coastal vessels of up to 100 tons gross tonnage.
As of 2006, some 34,000 people were employed as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18% growth in this occupation, expecting demand for 40,000 shipmasters in 2016.