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AI Work Index

Headline risk

1%

Very Low Risk

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

United States AI Work IndexISCO 3151crosswalk_exact

United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.

40.7 current · 40.9 projectedConfidence high

Why This Score

Tasks 100%

Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities

Wage $86K

Median annual wage

Demand 1%

Projected employment change over 10 years

Preparation Zone 3

Typical preparation needed for this occupation

Occupation profile

Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.

Task evidence

100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage

Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works

United States Now

Median Wage

USD 85,540

Employment 2024

40.7K

Projected Change (2024–34)

0.5%

Openings (2024–34)

4.3K

Wage distribution

Bottom 10%: USD 46,26025th pctl: USD 60,800Median: USD 85,54075th pctl: USD 124,530Top 10%: USD 164,230

Demand outlook

Overall employment of water transportation workers is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.

Education: Postsecondary nondegree award Experience: —

Role Profile

Detail orientedAdaptabilityProblem solving and decision making

Tasks

  • 1. Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards. AI use: 0%
  • 2. Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements. AI use: 0%
  • 3. Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth. AI use: 0%
  • 4. Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses. AI use: 0%
  • 5. Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations. AI use: 0%
  • 6. Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks. AI use: 0%

Technologies

Microsoft Office softwareApple macOSAutodesk RevitMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPoint

Requirements

License required: 19.4%License required: 80.6%Certificate: <35%Certificate: >65%

Work context

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 4.8/5
Frequency of Decision Making 4.6/5
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 4.6/5
Contact With Others 4.6/5
Freedom to Make Decisions 4.5/5
Health and Safety of Other Workers 4.5/5

Worker profile

Median age 46.1 · 201K employed

Under 25: 3% · 25–54: 68% · 55+: 29%

Related

No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.

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