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Merchant Seaman Salary in the United States

How much does a Merchant Seaman make in the United States? The salary range for a Merchant Seaman job is from $57,653 to $81,550 per year in the United States. Click on the filter to check out Merchant Seaman job salaries by hourly, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, and yearly.

Average base salary
updated at March 01, 2025
$68,497
Per Year
The average salary for a Merchant Seaman is $68,497
per Year in the United States.
Individually reported data submitted by users of our website

HOW SHOULD YOU USE THIS DATA?

Employees: Use this as a guide for salary expectations, but be aware that responsibilities can change across companies for the same job title, so there may be differences between this data, other free site and our subscription products bought by employers.

Employers: This data could be used as reference point in your market pricing, but not the only source, due to differences across jobs locations, and sizes of companies.Consider additional sources like our Employer reported data.

Base Salary
$57,653
$68,497
Medium
$81,550

Highest Paying Cities for Merchant Seaman in the United States

Merchant Seaman salaries in the United States will pay differently by cities. Below following are the eight cities with the highest income for Merchant Seaman jobs in the United States. The city with the highest salary is San Jose. Click on the Merchant Seaman salary in cities you are interested in to view detailed job salary information.

States with Higher Salaries for Merchant Seaman

The five states where Merchant Seaman jobs get higher salaries in the United States are: District of Columbia, California, New Jersey, Alaska, and Massachusetts. Compared with the average salary of a Merchant Seaman in the United States, the state of District of Columbia with the highest job income for this job. The second and third states are California and New Jersey respectively. The high or low salary paid to Merchant Seaman by the US has a greater relationship with the demand for jobs and the cost of living.

How Much Do Similar Professions Get Paid in the United States?

There are some different titles for Merchant Seaman jobs, and the job title of Merchant Seaman will vary in different companies. The job title has a lot to do with the department and responsibilities, and the same job title will vary in different departments. The following list is the salary of jobs similar to Merchant Seaman, start to view Merchant Seaman-related jobs you are interested in.
Seaman
Average salary
United States
$45,723
per Year
Ordinary Seaman
Average salary
United States
$48,111
per Year
Able Seaman
Average salary
United States
$62,281
per Year
Ab Seaman
Average salary
United States
$92,953
per Year
Able Bodied Seaman
Average salary
United States
$63,449
per Year
Assistant Merchant
Average salary
United States
$81,833
per Year

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What Does a Merchant Seaman Do?

Very strict safety rules apply to seamen jobs and individuals must receive basic training in boat handling and safety procedures before becoming employed as a merchant seaman.

December 12, 2021

Records include index cards that the Registrar General of Shipping and Seaman used between the two world wars to produce a centralised index to merchant seamen serving on British merchant navy vessels.

December 07, 2021

These days the title is applied to people who work in merchant seaman jobs, but aren't actually selling their own wares.

November 13, 2021

Depending on the jurisdiction and specialty one works in, a merchant seaman may also be required to obtain licensing before being able to work.

November 06, 2021

Some individuals who work as a merchant seaman are able to work close enough to a port to live onshore.

November 05, 2021

Most Common Benefits for Merchant Seaman

Social Security
Healthcare
401(k)
Pension
Disability
Time Off (days)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about salaries for a Merchant Seaman
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Very strict safety rules apply to seamen jobs and individuals must receive basic training in boat handling and safety procedures before becoming employed as a merchant seaman.
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Check the below career pages for detailed pay ranges for similar professions to Merchant Seaman:
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The highest Merchant Seaman salary is $81,550, while the lowest is $57,653 in the United States.
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