What is a deck cadet and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a deck cadet. For example, did you know that they make an average of $29.21 an hour? That's $60,751 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreDeck CadetUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,751

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.1

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.70%

Asian 5.19%

Black or African American 14.69%

Hispanic or Latino 14.42%

Unknown 9.36%

White 54.64%

Gender

female 11.60%

male 88.40%

Age - 31
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 31
Stress Level
8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
1.9

Work Life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Deck Cadet career paths

Key steps to become a deck cadet

  1. Explore deck cadet education requirements

    Most common deck cadet degrees

    Bachelor's

    71.4 %

    Associate

    10.5 %

    High School Diploma

    8.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific deck cadet skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Cargo Operations26.32%
    Safety Inspections24.40%
    Safety Equipment10.63%
    USCG7.08%
    Docking6.99%
  3. Complete relevant deck cadet training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New deck cadets learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a deck cadet based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real deck cadet resumes.
  4. Research deck cadet duties and responsibilities

    • Advance training in firefighting and safety, as well as additional safety, emergency response and first aid training.
    • Aid logistics officer to purchase uniform and performance items.
    • Gain tactical experience working with elements ranging from platoon size elements.
    • Maintain and assure accountability of all platoon level equipment and personnel.
  5. Prepare your deck cadet resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your deck cadet resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a deck cadet resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Deck Cadet Resume templates

    Build a professional Deck Cadet resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Deck Cadet resume.
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
    Deck Cadet Resume
  6. Apply for deck cadet jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a deck cadet job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Deck Cadet Job

Zippi

Are you a Deck Cadet?

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Average deck cadet salary

The average Deck Cadet salary in the United States is $60,751 per year or $29 per hour. Deck cadet salaries range between $22,000 and $164,000 per year.

Average Deck Cadet Salary
$60,751 Yearly
$29.21 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do deck cadets rate their job?

3/5

Out of 2 Deck Cadet reviews, 50% were positive.

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Based On 2 Ratings

Career Growth
2.0
Overall Rating
3.0
Work/Life Balance
1.0
Pay / Salary
1.0

Deck Cadet reviews

profile
1.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2024
Pros

Prospect of becoming a Mate and later career advancements

Cons

Very hard working conditions, especially if there is negligence from the other crewmates which is often common; very small salary compared to work done (I was paid 450 eur as a EU citizen); very hard socializing especially if not with right crew


profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

The things that i like the most as deck cadet are the adventure, learning, discipline, the sea, the sun, the moon, the satisfaction of the work done as well as the friendship and brotherhood on board.

Cons

What i do not like is the negligence.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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