Deckhand demographics and statistics in the US
Deckhand demographics research summary. Zippia estimates deckhand demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our deckhand estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about deckhands after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 10,072 deckhands currently employed in the United States.
- 9.1% of all deckhands are women, while 90.9% are men.
- The average deckhand age is 33 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of deckhands is White (54.3%), followed by Black or African American (16.9%), Hispanic or Latino (12.9%) and Unknown (9.4%).
- Deckhands are most in-demand in Juneau, AK.
- Bayonne, NJ pays an annual average wage of $84,028, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women deckhands earned 89% of what men earned.
- New Jersey is the best state for deckhands to live.
- Deckhands are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On This Page
Deckhand demographics by:
Deckhand gender statistics
9.1% of deckhands are women and 90.9% of deckhands are men.
- Male, 90.9%
- Female, 9.1%
Deckhand gender ratio
Gender  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 90.9% |
| Female | 9.1% |
Deckhand gender pay gap
Women earn 89¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$64,848
Female Income
$57,980
Deckhand gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in deckhand positions over time. Currently, 9.1% of deckhands are female.
Deckhand gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 94.64% | 5.36% |
| 2011 | 93.21% | 6.79% |
| 2012 | 94.64% | 5.36% |
| 2013 | 90.53% | 9.47% |
| 2014 | 91.73% | 8.27% |
| 2015 | 92.17% | 7.83% |
| 2016 | 88.80% | 11.20% |
| 2017 | 91.79% | 8.21% |
| 2018 | 90.39% | 9.61% |
| 2019 | 90.09% | 9.91% |
| 2020 | 94.23% | 5.77% |
| 2021 | 90.93% | 9.07% |
Deckhand related jobs gender ratio
We compared deckhands with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, barge captain and vessel master have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Relief Master | 17% | 83% |
| Deckhand | 91% | 9% |
| Deck Mate | 98% | 2% |
| Vessel Master | 98% | 2% |
| Barge Captain | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Deckhand demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among deckhands is White, which makes up 54.3% of all deckhands. Comparatively, 16.9% of deckhands are Black or African American and 12.9% of deckhands are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 54.3%
- Black or African American, 16.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.9%
- Unknown, 9.4%
- Asian, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
Deckhand Race
| Deckhand Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.3% |
| Black or African American | 16.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.9% |
| Unknown | 9.4% |
| Asian | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.7% |
Deckhand race and ethnicity over time
See how deckhand racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Deckhand race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.05% | 14.46% | 5.17% | 9.36% |
| 2011 | 69.20% | 14.46% | 3.94% | 8.74% |
| 2012 | 65.41% | 14.21% | 6.39% | 10.16% |
| 2013 | 68.06% | 12.01% | 4.72% | 10.98% |
| 2014 | 66.49% | 13.64% | 4.98% | 10.84% |
| 2015 | 63.28% | 14.23% | 3.68% | 14.16% |
| 2016 | 65.79% | 13.17% | 5.54% | 10.91% |
| 2017 | 67.81% | 12.80% | 3.68% | 11.78% |
| 2018 | 68.18% | 10.51% | 3.24% | 15.29% |
| 2019 | 65.83% | 12.69% | 5.86% | 12.50% |
| 2020 | 58.43% | 18.58% | 4.61% | 10.54% |
| 2021 | 54.29% | 16.95% | 4.78% | 12.93% |
Deckhand wage gap by race
According to our data, white deckhands have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino deckhands have the lowest average salary at $59,310.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $66,455 |
| White | $69,144 |
| Black or African American | $68,325 |
| Asian | $61,589 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $59,310 |
Deckhand JOBS
Average deckhand age
See how the average age of deckhands varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Deckhand age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 22.5 | |
| White | 32 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 36 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23 |
Deckhand age breakdown
The average age of deckhands is 20-30 years years old, representing 38% of the deckhand population.
Deckhand age breakdown
| Deckhand Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 30% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 38% |
Deckhand educational attainment
The most common degree for deckhands is high school diploma, with 43% of deckhands earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 43%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Associate, 12%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Deckhands by degree level
| Deckhand Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 43% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Deckhand Jobs You Might Like
Deckhand employment statistics
Most deckhands work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where deckhands work
Below, you can see the size of companies where deckhands work.
Deckhand jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 15% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Deckhand jobs by company type
Employees with the deckhand job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most deckhands prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Deckhand jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 5% |
Deckhand jobs by industry
The most common industries for deckhands are transportation, hospitality and manufacturing.
Deckhand industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 19% |
| Hospitality | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Energy | 8% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Government | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Deckhand turnover and employment statistics
Deckhand unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for deckhands between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Deckhand unemployment rate by year
| Year | Deckhand Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.61% |
| 2011 | 12.05% |
| 2012 | 11.17% |
| 2013 | 10.20% |
| 2014 | 6.61% |
| 2015 | 6.91% |
| 2016 | 7.92% |
| 2017 | 3.52% |
| 2018 | 4.06% |
| 2019 | 5.52% |
| 2020 | 8.10% |
| 2021 | 5.31% |
Average deckhand tenure
The average deckhand stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,856 deckhands resumes in Zippia's database.
Deckhand tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 35% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Deckhand LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of deckhands that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deckhand | 2.91% | - |
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Boat Captain | 4.34% | 2,860 |
| Detail Technician | 4.91% | 10,951 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Similar deckhand jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Boat Captain | 4.34% | 2,860 |
| Detail Technician | 4.91% | 10,951 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Foreign languages spoken by deckhands
The most common foreign language among deckhands is Spanish at 52.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.8% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 52.4%
- French, 8.8%
- Portuguese, 5.4%
- German, 5.4%
- Russian, 5.4%
- Other, 22.6%
Deckhand languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.4% |
| French | 8.8% |
| Portuguese | 5.4% |
| German | 5.4% |
| Russian | 5.4% |
| Other | 22.6% |