Jobs Similar to Sailors and Marine Oilers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to sailors and marine oilers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers, Helpers--Extraction Workers and Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
Sailors and Marine Oilers: $51,520 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
81% similar · $60,600 (+18%) · High school
- 2Helpers--Extraction Workers
78% similar · $47,730 (−7%) · High school
- 3Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
78% similar · $92,460 (+79%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 4Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
78% similar · $58,870 (+14%) · High school
- 5Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
77% similar · $58,640 (+14%) · High school
- 6Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
77% similar · $58,620 (+14%) · High school
- 7Motorboat Operators
77% similar · $47,520 (−8%) · High school · Same group
- 8Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
77% similar · $49,690 (−4%) · High school
- 9Ship Engineers
77% similar · $109,530 (+113%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 10Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
76% similar · $70,070 (+36%) · High school
- 11Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
76% similar · $68,840 (+34%) · High school
- 12Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
76% similar · $74,500 (+45%) · High school
- 13Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
76% similar · $92,100 (broader group) · High school
- 14Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
76% similar · $57,430 (+11%) · High school
- 15Hoist and Winch Operators
76% similar · $56,450 (+10%) · High school
- 16Dredge Operators
76% similar · $49,640 (−4%) · High school
- 17Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
76% similar · $60,190 (+17%) · High school
- 18Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
76% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 19Continuous Mining Machine Operators
76% similar · $61,810 (+20%) · High school
- 20Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
75% similar · $67,890 (+32%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than sailors and marine oilers.
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining76% similar · $74,500 (+45%)
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators76% similar · $70,070 (+36%)
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers76% similar · $68,840 (+34%)
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas75% similar · $67,890 (+32%)
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators76% similar · $61,810 (+20%)
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers81% similar · $60,600 (+18%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for sailors and marine oilers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where sailors and marine oilers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Dredge Operators (80)
- Helpers--Extraction Workers (78)
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers (78)
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors (77)
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas (76)
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (76)
- Hoist and Winch Operators (76)
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (76)
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation (76)
- Aircraft Service Attendants (75)
Questions about jobs like sailors and marine oilers
What jobs are most similar to sailors and marine oilers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers (81% similar), Helpers--Extraction Workers (78% similar), Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (78% similar), Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (78% similar) and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (77% similar).
Which jobs like sailors and marine oilers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Ship Engineers ($109,530, +113%; usually training or an associate degree), Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels ($92,460, +79%; usually training or an associate degree) and Loading and Moving Machine Operators ($74,500, +45%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with sailors and marine oilers ($51,520). Without more preparation than sailors and marine oilers usually need: Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators and Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.