Ship captain earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$49.32 per hour

$102,590 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$39.68 per hour

$82,540 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$30.24 per hour

$62,900 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$23.56 per hour

$49,000 per year

10th percentile

Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:

$17.47 per hour

$36,330 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 Connecticut. On average, they make less than freight and cargo inspectors but more than sailors.

Career Median Salary
Freight and cargo inspector salary $80K
Customs broker salary $78K
Aircraft mechanic salary $83K
Logistician salary $76K
Cargo and freight agent salary $60K
Ship captain salary $63K
Shipmate salary $63K
Travel agent salary $47K
Truck driver salary $49K
Sailor salary $39K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)