CrewChangePush Boat Jobs on the Inland Rivers
Push boats (towboats) move barges on the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway — and the companies that run them hire year-round. Deckhands start at $160–$210 a day with room and board covered, and no experience is required to get your first hitch.
Who push boat companies are hiring
| Position | Typical day rate | Getting in |
|---|---|---|
| Deckhand | $160–$210/day | No experience needed — companies train green hands aboard |
| Cook | $180–$250/day | Cooking experience; feeds the crew on rotation |
| Tankerman (PIC) | $370–$390+/day | Tankerman-PIC endorsement — most start as deckhands |
| Engineer | $700–$750+/day | Engine room experience or license |
| Wheelman / Pilot | $700–$750+/day | Towing license; steersman programs feed the wheelhouse |
| Captain | varies by tonnage | Master of Towing — the top of the ladder |
Rates are what inland companies actually pay in 2026 — day rate plus meals and lodging aboard, not an hourly wage. See the full breakdown on our deckhand pay guide.
Where the work is
Line-haul boats push 20–40 barge tows on the Lower Mississippi between New Orleans and Cairo. Smaller boats work the Ohio, Illinois, Upper Mississippi, and Tennessee. Along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) from Brownsville to Florida, tank barge outfits move petroleum and chemicals — that’s tankerman country. Harbor and fleet boats work the ports: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Houston, Memphis, St. Louis, Paducah.
How the schedule works
Push boat crews live aboard on a rotation — days on, then days home: 14/7, 20/10, 28/14, 20/20, 28/28. You work six hours on, six off, every day of the hitch, and the boat never stops. Travel to the boat is usually arranged from a crew change point. Punch your rotation into the day rate calculator to see what a year actually pays.
Getting your first push boat job
- Get your TWIC card
The Transportation Worker Identification Credential — $125.25, apply at a TSA enrollment center, allow up to 60 days. Most companies want it in hand or in process.
- Pass a physical and drug screen
A company physical and DOT drug test, arranged during hiring — no USCG medical card needed to deck. Show up clean and able to lift 75 lbs.
- Complete one application
Fill out your CrewChange application once — credentials, the rotations you’ll work, your skills. A working captain reads it and puts you in front of companies that are actually hiring.
Green hand? Read the full how to become a towboat deckhand guide — every step, cost, and timeline.
Ready to get on a boat?
One application, read by a real working captain — not a bot. Complete it and you go straight in front of hiring companies on the deck. No fees, no recruiters, no runaround.
Start my application →Push boat job questions, answered straight
Do I need experience to work on a push boat?
No. Inland companies hire green deckhands and train aboard. What you need: a TWIC card (or an enrollment appointment), a clean drug screen, and the grit to work a six-on/six-off watch outdoors in all weather.
What’s the difference between a push boat, towboat, and tugboat?
On the rivers, “push boat” and “towboat” mean the same vessel — a square-bowed boat that pushes barges lashed ahead of it. Tugboats mostly pull or nudge ships in harbors and along the coast. The inland work in this guide is push boat work.
How long until I can move up from deckhand?
Depends on the side. On tank barges (liquid), a hand who takes it seriously makes tankerman — roughly doubling his pay — inside 12–18 months. On dry line-haul boats, the deck itself is a ladder: deckhand, senior deckhand, mate, with raises at each step. Both roads lead to the wheelhouse. The pay guide breaks down both.
Does it cost anything to apply?
Nothing. CrewChange is free for mariners — we never charge you, and we never ask for your Social Security number.