Ship captain earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$61.44 per hour

$127,790 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$48.18 per hour

$100,220 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$35.23 per hour

$73,280 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$26.54 per hour

$55,190 per year

10th percentile

Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:

$21.39 per hour

$44,480 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Ship captain salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Iowa $97,700
Oregon $97,050
Indiana $92,000
New Jersey $90,310
Alaska $88,230
Virginia $87,610
West Virginia $85,290
Missouri $83,670
Minnesota $80,920
Oklahoma $79,110
Massachusetts $77,950
Georgia $77,090
Rhode Island $76,790
Florida $76,040
New Hampshire $75,870
Connecticut $75,810
Wisconsin $74,390
Delaware $73,280
Hawaii $72,960
Maine $72,770
Illinois $69,600
North Carolina $69,170
Alabama $68,920
Vermont $64,020
Kentucky $61,620
Pennsylvania $61,420
Arizona $58,700
South Carolina $57,660
Ohio $56,070
Michigan $53,590
Utah $50,010
Virgin Islands, U.S. $41,120
Puerto Rico $28,580
Maryland $138,950
Tennessee $132,710
Louisiana $117,160
Texas $111,390
California $110,090
New York $104,800
Mississippi $104,220
Washington $103,730

How do ship captain salaries compare to similar careers?

Ship captains earn about the same as related careers in Delaware. On average, they make less than transportation planners but more than bus drivers.

Career Median Salary
Transportation planner salary $92K
Customs broker salary $95K
Logistician salary $96K
Aircraft mechanic salary $84K
Shipmate salary $73K
Ship captain salary $73K
Sailor salary $60K
Truck driver salary $58K
Bus driver salary $61K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)