What is a deck seaman 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 seaman. For example, did you know that they make an average of $28.94 an hour? That's $60,197 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreDeck SeamanUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,197

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.1

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.72%

Asian 4.96%

Black or African American 16.18%

Hispanic or Latino 13.59%

Unknown 9.45%

White 54.10%

Gender

female 15.25%

male 84.75%

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 Seaman career paths

Key steps to become a deck seaman

  1. Explore deck seaman education requirements

    Most common deck seaman degrees

    High School Diploma

    38.4 %

    Bachelor's

    26.4 %

    Associate

    19.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific deck seaman skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Helm17.30%
    Safety Equipment16.95%
    Boats8.89%
    Load Cargo7.67%
    Shipboard Equipment4.23%
  3. Complete relevant deck seaman training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New deck seamen 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 seaman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real deck seaman resumes.
  4. Research deck seaman duties and responsibilities

    • Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
    • Utilize GPS, GIS, side scan sonar, and multibeam sonar technologies.
    • Operate, maintain and repair ship equipment such as winches, cranes, lines, wires, etc.
    • Participate in firefighting and damage control exercises.
  5. Prepare your deck seaman resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your deck seaman 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 seaman 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 Seaman Resume templates

    Build a professional Deck Seaman 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 Seaman resume.
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
    Deck Seaman Resume
  6. Apply for deck seaman jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a deck seaman 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 Seaman Job

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Average deck seaman salary

The average Deck Seaman salary in the United States is $60,197 per year or $29 per hour. Deck seaman salaries range between $23,000 and $152,000 per year.

Average Deck Seaman Salary
$60,197 Yearly
$28.94 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do deck seamen rate their job?

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Deck Seaman reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Cons

I don't want my boss to scold me


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

obtain all seaman experience. learn all about working in the opened ocean, and ways to work myself up the lather.

Cons

nothing. Is a new carrier I al looking forward to initiate. everything I have read about this so far is interesting.


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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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