What is a seaman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a seaman. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.64 an hour? That's $55,413 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreSeamanUS Average
Salary
4.3

Avg. Salary $55,413

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.1

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.70%

Asian 4.93%

Black or African American 16.02%

Hispanic or Latino 13.49%

Unknown 9.36%

White 54.50%

Gender

female 28.14%

male 71.86%

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

Seaman career paths

Key steps to become a seaman

  1. Explore seaman education requirements

    Most common seaman degrees

    High School Diploma

    40.5 %

    Bachelor's

    30.6 %

    Associate

    17.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific seaman skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Safety Equipment22.79%
    Navigational Aids9.97%
    Coast Guard9.20%
    Law Enforcement9.17%
    CPR5.66%
  3. Complete relevant seaman training and internships

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

    • Conduct daily JSA's, occasionally lead weekly fire and boat drills.
    • Help in the safe operation of deploying and recovering small boats in the events of coast guard search and seizures.
    • Maintain first aid and CPR certifications.
    • Navigate by using several different types of compasses.
  5. Prepare your seaman resume

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

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

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

Zippi

Are you a Seaman?

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Average seaman salary

The average Seaman salary in the United States is $55,413 per year or $27 per hour. Seaman salaries range between $22,000 and $136,000 per year.

Average Seaman Salary
$55,413 Yearly
$26.64 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do seamen rate their job?

-/5

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Seaman reviews

profile
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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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 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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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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