Also called: Sea Tow Captain, TowBoatUS Captain, On-Water Assistance Captain
Answers calls from stranded boaters, towing broken-down boats home, pulling them off sandbars, and jump-starting dead engines.
Towing captains wait on call at a marina, then race out when a boater radios for help: a dead engine miles offshore, a sailboat aground, or someone out of fuel. They rig tow lines, carefully pull boats through busy channels, and sometimes help the Coast Guard with searches. Summer weekends are nonstop.
Often paid per call or hourly; franchise owners can earn more. Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. U.S. Coast Guard captain's license (OUPV 'six-pack' or Master) and boat-handling experience.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Marine Technology, Maritime Studies.
Growing about average. Recreational boating keeps growing (approx.).
Low risk for 10 years. GPS and apps find boaters faster; rigging and towing on the water stay hands-on.
Classes: Physical education, Earth science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-5021.
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.