How to Become a Merchant Marine Officer in Maine: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median merchant marine officer salary in Maine is $72,770 per year - 21% below the national median of $92,460 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: Bachelor’s from a maritime academy (deck or engine license track).
How to Become a Merchant Marine Officer in Maine
1. Choose deck or engine
Mates navigate and run cargo; engineers run propulsion and ship systems.
2. Attend a maritime academy
Six state academies plus USMMA grant the bachelor’s and license track together.
3. Earn your USCG credential
Third Mate or Third Assistant Engineer exams at graduation.
4. Sail and build sea time
License upgrades (Second, Chief, Master) follow documented sea service.
5. Advance
Chief engineer or ship’s master, or come ashore into port and fleet management.
Requirements in Maine
The education path is national - Bachelor’s from a maritime academy (deck or engine license track). Officer credentials are federal, issued by the USCG National Maritime Center, not Maine’s own boards: USCG Merchant Mariner Credential with officer endorsement (required). Verify current requirements with the USCG National Maritime Center before enrolling, as details change.
Merchant Marine Officer Salary in Maine
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Maine entry level (10th percentile) | $47,640 |
| Maine 25th-75th percentile | $56,330 - $80,750 |
| Maine median | $72,770 |
| Maine top earners (90th percentile) | $104,240 |
| U.S. median | $92,460 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 360.
The Maine Job Market: Merchant Marine Officer
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Maine | 360 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 0.56 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 2.37 |
| Mean annual wage in Maine | $74,300 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 2.37, Maine employs ship officers at a noticeably higher concentration than the national average: a strong local market for the credential.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $47,420 |
| 25th | $63,880 |
| 50th (median) | $92,460 |
| 75th | $127,180 |
| 90th | $170,640 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 40,700 |
| 2034 projected | 40,900 |
| Percent change | +0.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a merchant marine officer make in Maine?
The median annual wage for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels in Maine is $72,770 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 21% below the national median of $92,460.
How to become a merchant marine officer in Maine?
The core path is the same nationwide - Bachelor's from a maritime academy (deck or engine license track) - with federal USCG licensing, not Maine's own boards: USCG Merchant Mariner Credential with officer endorsement (required). See the steps on this page.
How many ship officers work in Maine?
BLS counts about 360 captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels employed in Maine (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Merchant Marine Officer in Nearby States
- Merchant Marine Officer in Iowa
- Merchant Marine Officer in Louisiana
- Merchant Marine Officer in Maryland
- Merchant Marine Officer in Massachusetts
Related
- How to Become a Merchant Marine Officer (national guide)
- All Trade Careers That Require a 4-Year Degree
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (SOC 53-5021), Maine and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |