Page 16: of Marine News Magazine (January 2026)

15 17

By the

Numbers

U.S. INLAND WATERWAYS CAREERS

The U.S. inland waterways don’t just move cargo—they cargo every year, including fuel, fertilizer, grain, chemicals, move people into long-term, well-paid careers. At a time and construction materials. Every dollar moved depends when trucking and rail struggle with shortages, turnover, on trained crews—no crews, no cargo.

and burnout, inland waterways operators quietly offer something different: a job you can start without experi- • 127,500 Jobs supported nationwide ence, a career you can grow into, and a paycheck that gets Inland waterways employment supports 127,500 jobs better every step of the way. when direct, indirect, and induced impacts are includ-

A new study commissioned by the National Waterways ed. These are not temporary or gig positions—they are

Foundation and conducted by the Texas A&M Transpor- skilled, long-term careers tied to infrastructure that can- tation Institute puts hard numbers behind what operators not be outsourced.

and mariners have known for decades.

• $36.1 Billion Total annual economic output • 25,000 Miles of inland waterways Using IMPLAN modeling and Bureau of Labor Statistics

America’s inland waterways network spans 25,000 miles data, the study found inland waterways employment gener- of rivers, lakes, bays, and man-made channels across 38 ates $36.1 billion in annual economic output, including: states. It’s the backbone of domestic energy, agriculture, • $10.2 billion in labor income and bulk commodity transport—and it requires people on • $4.2 billion in national tax revenue board, 24/7.

• Entry-level access Zero Experience Required • $73 Billion Annual cargo moved by inland waterways Unlike trucking or rail, no prior experience is required

Towboats and barges move more than $73 billion worth of to start an inland waterways career. Entry-level deckhand © Brian/AdobeStock 16 | MN January 2026