Transportation and Material Moving · Holland code RCE

Motorboat Operators

Operate small motor-driven boats. May assist in navigational activities.

Also called: Boat Operator, Launch Operator, River Pilot, Water Taxi Business Operator, Crew Boat Operator, Harbor Pilot, Launchman, Motorboat Operator.

O*NET 53-5022.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $47,520; Middle half earn $42,760 to $69,010. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 40% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Operate engine throttles and steering mechanisms to guide boats on desired courses.
Direct safety operations in emergency situations.
Secure boats to docks with mooring lines, and cast off lines to enable departure.
Maintain desired courses, using compasses or electronic navigational aids.
Organize and direct the activities of crew members.
Follow safety procedures to ensure the protection of passengers, cargo, and vessels.
Maintain equipment such as range markers, fire extinguishers, boat fenders, lines, pumps, and fittings.
Report any observed navigational hazards to authorities.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Speaking3.4 / 5
Monitoring3.4 / 5
Active Listening3.1 / 5
Critical Thinking3.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension2.9 / 5
Active Learning2.8 / 5

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service4.4 / 5
English Language4.1 / 5
Education and Training3.9 / 5
Public Safety and Security3.8 / 5
Transportation3.8 / 5
Mechanical3.5 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic92
Investigative20
Artistic2
Social17
Enterprising37
Conventional44

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

maritime pilot · DE Seelotse/Seelotsin · FR pilote de port
fisheries boatman · DE Küsten- und Binnenfischer/Küsten- und Binnenfischerin · FR batelier-pêcheur/batelière-pêcheuse
sailor · DE Seemann/Seefrau · FR matelot polyvalent navigation maritime/matelot polyvalente navigation maritime

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Marine and waterways transport operatives (8232)6,700 employed
Ship and hovercraft officers (3512)15,300 employed
Other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c. (8239)22,600 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Plant and machine operators and assemblers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€39,630
Netherlands	€37,567
Austria	€37,304
Sweden	€36,005
Germany	€34,433
Ireland	€32,617
France	€28,550
Italy	€28,330
Spain	€24,409
Portugal	€11,309
Poland	€10,259

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.89. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (53-5022).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

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