What is a master mariner 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 master mariner. For example, did you know that they make an average of $29.9 an hour? That's $62,183 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreMaster MarinerUS Average
Salary
4.9

Avg. Salary $62,183

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.5

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.09%

Asian 3.15%

Black or African American 6.91%

Hispanic or Latino 8.96%

Unknown 4.73%

White 75.17%

Gender

female 7.32%

male 92.68%

Age - 40.5
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 - 40.5
Stress Level
9.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
2.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a master mariner

  1. Explore master mariner education requirements

    Most common master mariner degrees

    Bachelor's

    53.5 %

    Master's

    20.9 %

    Associate

    11.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific master mariner skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    USCG46.50%
    Boats42.63%
    General Cargo10.87%
  3. Complete relevant master mariner training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New master mariners 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 master mariner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real master mariner resumes.
  4. Research master mariner duties and responsibilities

    • Manage records and assist customers with billing and reservations.organize and assist with running of events.
    • Train crew on use of PPE, firefighting equipment, and small boat handling procedures.
    • Master of ATB, hawser tug/barge combinations operating worldwide and GOM.
  5. Prepare your master mariner resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your master mariner 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 master mariner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Master Mariner Resume templates

    Build a professional Master Mariner 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 Master Mariner resume.
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
    Master Mariner Resume
  6. Apply for master mariner jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a master mariner 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 Master Mariner Job

Zippi

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Average master mariner salary

The average Master Mariner salary in the United States is $62,183 per year or $30 per hour. Master mariner salaries range between $23,000 and $161,000 per year.

Average Master Mariner Salary
$62,183 Yearly
$29.90 hourly

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Cons

Inoperative barge


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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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