Also called: Coast Guard Investigating Officer, Marine Accident Investigator
Investigates ship collisions, sinkings, fires, and deaths at sea to find what went wrong.
An investigator boards a damaged vessel, interviews crew, reviews navigation data, and writes findings that can lead to license action or new safety rules.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Maritime or Coast Guard background plus investigation training.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Marine Transportation, Maritime Studies.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years). BLS 2025-35 projection band for SOC 53-6051: Slower than average (1% to 2%).
Low risk for 10 years. AI sifts voyage data faster, but boarding wrecks and interviewing shaken crews stay human investigation.
Classes: Physics, AP English Language, Government.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-6051.
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.