Ship captain earnings by seniority

75th percentile

Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$63.07 per hour

$131,180 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$47.82 per hour

$99,460 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:

$30.11 per hour

$62,620 per year

10th percentile

Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:

$18.81 per hour

$39,130 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 16% more than similar careers in Louisiana. On average, they make more than aviation inspectors.

Career Median Salary
Ship captain salary $99K
Shipmate salary $99K
Commercial pilot salary $80K
Air traffic controller salary $87K
Aviation inspector salary $82K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)