Also called: Navigation Officer, Watch Officer
A licensed junior officer who stands navigation watches and handles safety gear.
On a four-hour watch the deck officer steers the ship's course with radar, GPS, and charts, spots other ships, and talks to vessel traffic on the radio. Off watch they inspect lifeboats and firefighting gear and update charts. It is the first job most maritime academy graduates get, and many earn close to $100k in their first year.
Academy grads frequently start at $80k-$110k on union ships because of overtime and sea pay.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's from a maritime academy (USMMA Kings Point, Cal Maritime, Maine Maritime, Massachusetts Maritime, SUNY Maritime, Texas A&M Maritime Academy or Great Lakes Maritime Academy) with a USCG Third Mate license, or the hawsepipe route of years of sea time plus exams.
Ways in: 4-year college, Apprenticeship. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Marine Transportation, Nautical Science, Maritime Studies.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Autonomous-navigation and remote-bridge tech may trim watch officers by the 2030s; for now law requires a licensed human on watch.
Classes: Physics, Trigonometry, Earth science or meteorology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-5021.
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