What Does a Marine Operations Supervisor Do?
Whether the job is a week-long research cruise, a dive survey, or a class trip on the harbor, a marine program needs boats that leave the dock ready, crewed and safe. Marine operations supervisors run that program at universities, marine labs and survey firms, and the job is distinguished from a boat operator's in that it covers the whole fleet: its schedule, crews, budget and safety record.
Also known as: Marine Supervisor
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Boat Captain, Captain, Ferry Boat Captain, First Mate, Harbor Pilot, Mate, River Pilot, Ship Pilot.
Marine Operations Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a marine operations supervisor include:
- Schedule research vessels and small boats around cruise requests, crew availability and maintenance.
- Supervise captains, mates, deckhands and marine technicians, and approve their hours and training.
- Command vessels on research cruises when needed, holding the right Coast Guard license.
- Plan cruises with scientists, checking equipment loads, deck space, permits and weather windows.
- Keep vessels in compliance with Coast Guard inspections and required safety drills.
- Manage the marine operations budget, including fuel, dockage, repairs and shipyard periods.
- Oversee haul-outs, engine overhauls and equipment installs with shipyards and contractors.
- Run the small-boat program, including operator training, float plans and boat checkouts.
- Lead the response to groundings, injuries, spills and person-overboard incidents, and file reports.
- Maintain the dock, moorings, trailers and shore-side gear used by research teams.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a marine operations supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Coast Guard master's license with the tonnage and route endorsements the fleet needs
- STCW training where vessels work offshore
- Crew supervision and scheduling
- Vessel maintenance planning
- Knowledge of Coast Guard rules for inspected and uninspected vessels
- Budget management
- Clear communication with scientists who are not mariners
- Sound judgment about weather and sea state
Education and Training
The usual path runs through a captain's or mate's license, but some supervisors start out as marine technicians and earn their licenses along the way. Getting the post without a Coast Guard master's license might be possible at some labs, but licensed candidates will have a clear advantage over other applicants. License courses at maritime schools offer another route.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $63,880 - $127,180 per year, with a median of $92,460.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
According to BLS, employment of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels, the wider group that includes marine operations supervisors, is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. The group should see about 3,800 openings a year, few of them in research fleets. Given that research budgets rise and fall with grants, supervisors with both a license and shipyard experience are more likely to stay employed through lean years.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.
Marine Operations Supervisor Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $47,420 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $63,880 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $92,460 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $127,180 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $170,640 |
Highest-Paying States for Marine Operations Supervisors
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Maryland ($138,950), Tennessee ($132,710), Louisiana ($117,160), Texas ($111,390), California ($110,090). Pay is lowest in Ohio ($56,070), Michigan ($53,590), Utah ($50,010).
Median pay in all 38 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $68,920 |
| Alaska | $88,230 |
| Arizona | $58,700 |
| California | $110,090 |
| Connecticut | $75,810 |
| Delaware | $73,280 |
| Florida | $76,040 |
| Georgia | $77,090 |
| Hawaii | $72,960 |
| Illinois | $69,600 |
| Indiana | $92,000 |
| Iowa | $97,700 |
| Louisiana | $117,160 |
| Maine | $72,770 |
| Maryland | $138,950 |
| Massachusetts | $77,950 |
| Michigan | $53,590 |
| Minnesota | $80,920 |
| Mississippi | $104,220 |
| Missouri | $83,670 |
| New Hampshire | $75,870 |
| New Jersey | $90,310 |
| New York | $104,800 |
| North Carolina | $69,170 |
| Ohio | $56,070 |
| Oklahoma | $79,110 |
| Oregon | $97,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,420 |
| Rhode Island | $76,790 |
| South Carolina | $57,660 |
| Tennessee | $132,710 |
| Texas | $111,390 |
| Utah | $50,010 |
| Vermont | $64,020 |
| Virginia | $87,610 |
| Washington | $103,730 |
| West Virginia | $85,290 |
| Wisconsin | $74,390 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 86% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 82% usually work more than 40 hours a week
- 79% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 72% deal with loud or distracting noise every day
- 72% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 68% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
- 66% wear safety gear such as gloves, safety glasses or a hard hat every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 42% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 37% |
| Bachelor's degree | 8% |
| Some college | 5% |
Tools and Software Marine Operations Supervisors Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Operation and Control, Speaking, Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Operations Monitoring.
Knowledge areas used most: Transportation, Public Safety and Security, Mechanical, Law and Government, English Language.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Marine Operations Supervisor Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 53-5021.00 (Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.