53
Sailors and Marine Oilers is a notable career in the 53 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Sailors and Marine Oilers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 53-5011 |
| title | Sailors and Marine Oilers |
| onet code | 53-5011.00 |
| description | Stand watch to look for obstructions in path of vessel, measure water depth, turn wheel on bridge, or use emergency equipment as directed by captain, mate, or pilot. Break out, rig, overhaul, and store cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, and running gear. Perform a variety of maintenance tasks to preserve the painted surface of the ship and to maintain line and ship equipment. Must hold government-issued certification and tankerman certification when working aboard liquid-carrying vessels. Includes able seamen and ordinary seamen. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 53 |
| tot emp | 31,360 |
| a mean | 55,320 |
| a median | 49,610 |
| a pct10 | 33,350 |
| a pct25 | 38,450 |
| a pct75 | 65,370 |
| a pct90 | 81,890 |
| h mean | 26 |
| h median | 23 |
The day-to-day work of a sailors and marine oilers typically centers on tie barges together into tow units for tugboats to handle, inspecting barges periodically during voyages and disconnecting them when destinations are reached. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.22 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working sailors and marine oilers, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (52.4%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 1% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Oregon at $68,700 and lowest in Georgia at $36,830 — a 1.9× spread. The top five states (Oregon, Texas, Washington, Hawaii, New Jersey) average $64,826. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $68,700 | $66,700 | $36,560 | $92,190 | 280 |
| Texas | $65,680 | $64,480 | $37,430 | $91,670 | 5,600 |
| Washington | $64,860 | $64,760 | $45,280 | $84,600 | 1,910 |
| Hawaii | $63,280 | $64,040 | $42,640 | $95,460 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $61,610 | $66,200 | $38,480 | $99,740 | 570 |
| Alaska | $61,030 | $62,070 | $35,700 | $80,350 | 440 |
| New York | $61,010 | $59,780 | $40,610 | $79,440 | 1,340 |
| Delaware | $57,900 | $52,780 | $37,390 | $62,820 | 60 |
| Connecticut | $56,190 | $52,800 | $36,870 | $71,840 | 350 |
| California | $54,980 | $56,670 | $37,450 | $77,620 | 1,830 |
| Minnesota | $53,760 | $60,020 | $38,380 | $91,910 | 50 |
| Michigan | $52,000 | $55,040 | $41,940 | $66,890 | 230 |
| Mississippi | $49,030 | $56,100 | $39,900 | $85,910 | 560 |
| South Carolina | $48,870 | $50,060 | $30,660 | $81,830 | 210 |
| Alabama | $48,340 | $50,880 | $35,700 | $63,010 | 190 |
| Illinois | $48,300 | $51,780 | $35,360 | $78,220 | 440 |
| Tennessee | $48,220 | $56,100 | $31,250 | $77,910 | 730 |
| Rhode Island | $48,180 | $58,420 | $29,650 | $94,630 | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $48,180 | $48,740 | $30,540 | $74,070 | 110 |
| Indiana | $47,900 | $59,490 | $29,780 | $101,250 | 450 |
| Maryland | $46,520 | $58,330 | $35,940 | $94,140 | 270 |
| Florida | $46,070 | $49,960 | $30,580 | $71,970 | 2,590 |
| Virginia | $44,720 | $46,560 | $31,010 | $57,620 | 2,390 |
| Louisiana | $44,380 | $51,220 | $29,680 | $80,690 | 7,470 |
| Ohio | $43,640 | $43,970 | $27,090 | $57,060 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $43,250 | $45,180 | $32,440 | $61,780 | 310 |
| Maine | $42,890 | $44,840 | $36,460 | $52,000 | 150 |
| Iowa | $41,940 | $44,920 | $30,220 | $59,000 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $41,730 | $50,060 | $29,430 | $76,020 | 1,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,150 | $43,890 | $37,070 | $58,560 | 290 |
| Massachusetts | $37,850 | $46,020 | $33,350 | $58,650 | 260 |
| Missouri | $37,830 | $45,640 | $28,790 | $63,090 | 160 |
| Georgia | $36,830 | $40,540 | $30,580 | $48,880 | 100 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for sailors and marine oilers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Able Bodied Seaman (AB Seaman) or Able Bodied Watchman (AB Watchman) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Sailors and Marine Oilers compares to others in the 53 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Sailors and Marine Oilers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.