Also called: Skipper, Crab Boat Captain
Runs a commercial fishing boat and its crew, from Alaska crab boats to Gulf shrimpers.
The captain decides where to fish based on years of experience, weather, and sonar, runs the crew through 20-hour days in season, and manages fuel, permits, and the catch's sale. Many own their boats, making them small-business owners with big risks and big rewards.
Highly variable: some captains have losing seasons; top Alaska captains can earn $300k+ in a good year.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 8 years after high school. No degree required; years as a deckhand plus USCG license for larger boats. Fishing permits and quotas can cost a fortune.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification, Self-taught. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Fisheries Science, Marine Transportation, Business.
Shrinking (about -1% over 10 years). BLS projects slight decline in fishing jobs.
Low risk for 10 years. Sonar and catch apps help find fish, but running a crew and boat through storms and deciding where to fish stay human.
Classes: Earth science, Business math, Physical education.
Official data: O*NET occupation 45-1011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.