Ship and Boat Captains vs Ship Engineers AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Ship and Boat Captains

68 shared · 37 different

core competencies

medium risk

Ship Engineers

Side-by-Side Comparison

Ship and Boat Captains leads 3–2

Metric	Ship and Boat Captains	Ship Engineers
Risk Score	27.6%	28.0%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	28th	30th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	8 / 15	6 / 15
Median Salary	$85,540	$101,320
Employment	35K	9K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment

Mechanical

Far Vision

Glare Sensitivity

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Geography

Depth Perception

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization

Repairing

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment

Assisting and Caring for Others

Equipment MaintenanceAI-Resistant

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Ship and Boat Captains

35%

total discount

Ship Engineers

30%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Ship and Boat Captains

8 of 15 at risk

88%Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.

86%Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.

86%Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.

78%Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.

78%Monitor the loading or discharging of cargo or passengers.

Ship Engineers

6 of 15 at risk

87%Record orders for changes in ship speed or direction and note gauge readings or test data, such as revolutions per minute or voltage output, in engineering logs or bellbooks.

86%Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.

86%Maintain complete records of engineering department activities, including machine operations.

85%Order and receive engine room stores, such as oil or spare parts, maintain inventories, and record usage of supplies.

77%Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.

Wage Comparison

Ship Engineers earns +$15,780(+18%) vs Ship and Boat Captains

Ship and Boat CaptainsShip Engineers

10th

$46,260$56,620

25th

$60,800$71,720

Median

$85,540$101,320

75th

$124,530$130,380

90th

$164,230$162,370

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Ship and Boat Captains2028–2035

Ship Engineers2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Ship and Boat Captains has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Ship Engineers.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Ship and Boat Captains

$61,888

from $85,540

Ship Engineers

$72,950

from $101,320

After adjusting for AI risk, Ship Engineers offers $11,062 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Ship

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Social Intelligence

Decision Complexity

Regulatory Barriers

Creativity

Ship and Boat CaptainsShip Engineers

Find transitions from Ship and Boat Captains Find transitions from Ship Engineers