As of June 2026, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels has an AI-exposure score of 51/100 (Elevated exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.

AI Exposure Score for

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

51/100
Elevated exposure
LowModerateElevatedHighVery High

More exposed than 36% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$92,460. About 4,300 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).

Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.

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How this role compares to similar Transportation roles

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (this role)
51
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
51
Flight Attendants
51
Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
51
Ship Engineers
51
Subway and Streetcar Operators
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See all roles by exposure →
Data sources, not endorsements: O*NET task data, BLS employment/pay/demand, and Anthropic Economic Index signals.Methodology Data sources
Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 29.1 exact occupation

Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.

Common titles
Boat CaptainCaptainFirst MateMateFerry Boat CaptainHarbor Pilot
O*NET job-zone preparation
Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparation Needed Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

Broad guidance for this preparation level; exact requirements vary by role and employer.

Skills and knowledge
Operation and ControlMonitoringSpeakingCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingCoordination
Tools and technology
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookApple macOSAutodesk RevitMicrosoft PowerPoint
Work context
Face-to-face discussionsFrequent contact with othersDecision latitudeTelephoneConsequence of error

Source: O*NET 29.1 exact occupation - Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, SOC 53-5021.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

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Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels tasks, by AI exposure

Automatable
  • Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
  • Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
  • Calculate sightings of land, using electronic sounding devices and following contour lines on charts.
4 more automatable tasks locked in the report.
Augmentable
  • Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
  • Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
11 more augmentable tasks locked in the report.
Durable

No durable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (65%).

We analyzed all 20 Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels tasks — 7 automatable and 13 augmentable. The full task map — every task with exactly what to do about each — is in your Career Report.

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Every task scored with what to automate, augment, or protect.

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5-10 adjacent roles with salary, demand, and reachability.

30/60/90 plan + PDF

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Safer adjacent roles

Sailors and Marine Oilers
80% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$51,520
47
7 more safer roles with salary, demand & a reachability map — in your Career Report.
AI-augmentation kit (prompt preview) You are my AI copilot for "Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.". I'll paste the inputs; draft the first version and flag exactly what needs my judgment, then iterate until…
The full, copy-paste-ready prompt — one per exposed task — is in your Career Report.

Your AI-Safe Career Report

Every task scored with what to do about it · 5–10 safer roles with salary, demand & reachability · skill-gap map · a 30/60/90-day roadmap · plus a résumé & LinkedIn rewrite · PDF.
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Important: This is an estimate of AI exposure, not a prediction that your job will disappear. It is designed to help you understand how your role may change and improve your career resilience.

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