What is an ordinary seaman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There is undiscovered greatness with regards to being an Ordinary Seaman that we don't know about. Did you realize that they earn about $25.99 per hour? That is $54,064 per year. You may find that experience in different positions will help you become an Ordinary Seaman. Truth be told, numerous Ordinary Seaman Occupations require insight in a job, for example, a deckhand. There are certain abilities that numerous Ordinary Seaman need to have to achieve their duties.

We found that 27.1% of resumes included vessel upkeep, while 17.0% of resumes included security rules. Hard abilities like these are useful to have with regards to performing fundamental occupation duties. We've established that 28.9% of Ordinary Seaman have a four-year college education. As far as advanced education levels, we found that 2.1% of Ordinary Seaman have graduate degrees. Despite the fact that some Ordinary Seaman has advanced education, it's conceivable to get one with just a secondary school degree or GED. Then, many Ordinary Seamen additionally have past professional experience in jobs, for example, deck cadet or sailor.

ScoreOrdinary SeamanUS Average
Salary
4.1

Avg. Salary $52,664

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.1

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.76%

Asian 4.86%

Black or African American 17.39%

Hispanic or Latino 13.24%

Unknown 9.54%

White 53.21%

Gender

female 8.14%

male 91.86%

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

Ordinary Seaman career paths

Key steps to become an ordinary seaman

  1. Explore ordinary seaman education requirements

    Most common ordinary seaman degrees

    Bachelor's

    35.6 %

    High School Diploma

    30.2 %

    Associate

    16.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific ordinary seaman skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Vessel Maintenance20.00%
    Safety Equipment11.96%
    Ladders9.26%
    TWIC8.22%
    Mooring Lines7.13%
  3. Complete relevant ordinary seaman training and internships

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

    • Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
    • Clean hulls, keel, rudder, props.
    • Conduct drills according to protocols specify by the USCG.
    • Acquire all extracurricular IMO and USCG certifications, self-bankrol.
  5. Prepare your ordinary seaman resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your ordinary 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 an ordinary 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 Ordinary Seaman Resume templates

    Build a professional Ordinary 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 Ordinary Seaman resume.
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
    Ordinary Seaman Resume
  6. Apply for ordinary seaman jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an ordinary 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 Ordinary Seaman Job

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Average ordinary seaman salary

The average Ordinary Seaman salary in the United States is $52,664 per year or $25 per hour. Ordinary seaman salaries range between $23,000 and $120,000 per year.

Average Ordinary Seaman Salary
$52,664 Yearly
$25.32 hourly

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How do ordinary seamen rate their job?

5/5

Based On 2 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Ordinary Seaman reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2022
Pros

Taking on the responsibility of any and all safety duties ,line handling , knowledge of fire fighting and basic first aid. ( I saved a man's life once .One of the crew members by performing first aid.

Cons

Can't say much on what I don't like other than when having to listen to people who are appsoluty wrong and I have to follow the chain of command.Thankly every worked out.


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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

all work as an ordinary seaman I like, because I have the honor of being an ordinary seaman.

Cons

I don't want my boss to scold me


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Cons

Being away from home if you work as a tankerman on a vessel. Enduring outside elements for long periods at a time.


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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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