The average salary for a ship captain in California is around $100,020 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship captains earn an average yearly salary of $100,020.
Wages typically start from $49,420 and go up to $151,200.
34% above national average Updated in 2021
Ship captain earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$72.69 per hour
$151,200 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$62.49 per hour
$129,980 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$48.09 per hour
$100,020 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$30.99 per hour
$64,470 per year
10th percentile
Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:
$23.76 per hour
$49,420 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Ship captain salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $99,460 |
| New York | $98,680 |
| Washington | $95,390 |
| Arkansas | $90,720 |
| Oklahoma | $86,570 |
| Alaska | $81,910 |
| Mississippi | $81,510 |
| Virginia | $80,950 |
| Illinois | $80,240 |
| West Virginia | $79,510 |
| Iowa | $79,240 |
| Kentucky | $79,090 |
| Alabama | $77,630 |
| Minnesota | $77,030 |
| Ohio | $75,600 |
| Delaware | $75,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,640 |
| Maine | $66,390 |
| Michigan | $65,160 |
| Rhode Island | $64,160 |
| Massachusetts | $63,980 |
| South Carolina | $63,970 |
| Connecticut | $62,900 |
| Hawaii | $61,020 |
| Florida | $60,780 |
| Georgia | $59,400 |
| Missouri | $57,060 |
| New Hampshire | $52,390 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $50,970 |
| North Carolina | $49,860 |
| Wisconsin | $49,470 |
| Arizona | $47,470 |
| Tennessee | $40,460 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,360 |
| Indiana | $104,530 |
| New Jersey | $104,020 |
| Texas | $103,340 |
| Oregon | $101,960 |
| Maryland | $101,450 |
| Vermont | $101,230 |
| California | $100,020 |
How do ship captain salaries compare to similar careers?
Ship captains earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than commercial pilots but more than transportation planners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Commercial pilot salary | $127K |
| Air traffic controller salary | $155K |
| Ship captain salary | $100K |
| Shipmate salary | $100K |
| Logistician salary | $81K |
| Customs broker salary | $76K |
| Transportation planner salary | $79K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)