Average Motorboat Operators Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Motorboat Operators is $47,520 per year. The middle 50% earn between $42,760 and $69,010, with 2,480 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 13 states and 16 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Motorboat Operators pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $34,510
- 25th
- $42,760
- Median
- $47,520
- 75th
- $69,010
- 90th
- $84,530
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Motorboat Operators earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two motorboat operators at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for motorboat operators from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +1.4%
- 0 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 300
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Motorboat Operators earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where motorboat operators work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Hawaii at $76,250, about 60.5% above the national median. At the metro level, Kahului-Wailuku, HI leads with a median of $83,390.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $76,250 | 330 |
| Illinois | $68,380 | 40 |
| Washington | $63,650 | 80 |
| New York | $62,000 | N/A |
| Texas | $50,270 | 270 |
| Michigan | $46,760 | N/A |
| Florida | $46,620 | 170 |
| Connecticut | $45,970 | N/A |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $83,390 | 70 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $81,440 | 140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,000 | N/A |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $60,920 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,970 | 50 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $50,270 | N/A |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $49,230 | 70 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $47,260 | N/A |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see motorboat operators pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Motorboat Operators rose from $48,260 to $47,520, a change of -1.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $48,260 would need to be worth $60,773 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $47,520 is −$13,253 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -21.8% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of -1.5% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- -1.5%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -21.8%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Motorboat Operators median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $47,520
- 2024
- $51,880
- 2023
- $46,420
- 2022
- $41,430
- 2021
- $38,670
- 2020
- $55,910
- 2019
- $48,260
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Sailors And Marine Oilers
- $51,520
- Ship Engineers
- $109,530
- Bus Drivers, School
- $47,920
- Dredge Operators
- $49,640
Common salary questions for Motorboat Operators
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Motorboat Operators workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.