Stand watch to look for obstructions in path of vessel, measure water depth, turn wheel on bridge, or use emergency equipment as directed by captain, mate, or pilot. Break out, rig, overhaul, and store cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, and running gear. Perform a variety of maintenance tasks to preserve the painted surface of the ship and to maintain line and ship equipment. Must hold government-issued certification and tankerman certification when working aboard liquid-carrying vessels. Includes able seamen and ordinary seamen.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. Sailors and Marine Oilers is licensed or registered in 7 of 57 states and territories, as reported by each state to CareerOneStop. Federal credentials are listed as well. A license often applies only to certain roles within a career, and records were last updated between 2010 and 2024, so confirm requirements with the state licensing board.
Certifications. CareerOneStop directly links 25 professional certifications to Sailors and Marine Oilers. 12 of them are in CareerOneStop's "Core" group, for example: National Entry Level Ratings, National High-Speed Craft, National Limitedtowing Vessels GL-IN & WR, National Mate UFIV, National Tankerman. Certifications are voluntary credentials offered by the organizations named; listing one is not an endorsement.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most sailors and marine oilers are Inland Water Transportation (29% of the jobs counted, median pay $50,060), Support Activities for Water Transportation (22% of the jobs counted, median pay $59,370), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (15% of the jobs counted, median pay $61,480), Federal Executive Branch (8% of the jobs counted, median pay $47,070) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals ($66,560), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation ($61,480), Support Activities for Water Transportation ($59,370). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
Injury and illness rates. For sailors and marine oilers, employers reported 157.2 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 16 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Transportation and material moving", which includes this career, 12.8% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,174 for union members and $866 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to sailors and marine oilers.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Transportation and material moving", which includes this career, 80% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 76% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 82% had paid sick leave, 86% paid vacation and 85% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to sailors and marine oilers, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $37.05 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Transportation and material moving" in June 2026 ($25.16 in wages and salaries and $11.89 in benefits, 32.1% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for sailors and marine oilers are: exposed to sounds, noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable (100%), wear common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets (100%), telephone conversations (89%), contact with others (89%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (78%), freedom to make decisions (78%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to sailors and marine oilers in the work done and the skills used: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, Ship Engineers, Riggers, Motorboat Operators, Dredge Operators, Hoist and Winch Operators, Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers, Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →