Transportation & material moving · SOC 53-5021
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
BLS projects 41,300 jobs in 2025 to become 42,900 by 2035 — +4.0%, against +3.5% across all occupations.
+4.0%
projected change to 2035
About 1,700 more jobs
3,800
openings a year
9.2% of the occupation a year, counting people who retire or move on
$92,460
median annual pay
Usually entered with: postsecondary nondegree award
2025 to 2035
Employment at the start and end of the projection, in jobs.
- 2025 employment41,300
- 2035 projected42,900
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–2035 projections.
Other transportation & material moving occupations
The largest occupations in the same group, by projected change to 2035.
- Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand2,940,300+1.8%
- Stockers and order fillers2,804,300+8.9%
- Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers2,221,200+3.8%
- Light truck drivers1,068,500+6.3%
- Industrial truck and tractor operators765,200+1.5%
- First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors621,500+3.0%
- Packers and packagers, hand555,500-5.0%
- Driver/sales workers442,900+7.9%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.