Restaurant Captain Salary in the United States

How much does a Restaurant Captain make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Restaurant Captain in the United States is $56,333 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, a Restaurant Captain's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $69,442
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,407 to $63,195
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $43,102
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View as table View as graph 25% $49,407 10% $43,102 90% $69,442 75% $63,195 $56,333 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Restaurant Captain Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $63,195 $5,266 $1,215 $30
Average $56,333 $4,694 $1,083 $27
25th Percentile $49,407 $4,117 $950 $24
Check out Restaurant Captain Job Openings in the United States
Team Member

Captain D's Seafood Restaurant - Findlay, OH

Team Member

Captain Ds Seafood Restaurant - Lima, OH

Leader

Captain Ds Seafood Restaurant - Columbus, OH

Lead

Captain Ds Seafood Restaurant - Wapakoneta, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Restaurant Captain Salaries

A Restaurant Captain's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Restaurant Captain Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Restaurant Captains. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $62,371.
  • California: $62,135.
  • Massachusetts: $61,307.

Top Paying Cities for Restaurant Captains

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $71,052
  • San Francisco: $70,274
  • Oakland: $68,793

What Skills Can Increase a Restaurant Captain's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.4% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Service Quality (Mentioned in 2.08% Job Postings): Service quality is a measure of how an organization delivers its services compared to the expectations of its customers.
  • Catering (Mentioned in 1.18% Job Postings): Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 10.4%
Service Quality 2.08%
Catering 1.18%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Restaurant Captain's salary.
  • Security Policy: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Motivating: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Organizing: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Security Policy
$64,219
14%
Motivating
$60,839
8%
Organizing
$60,276
7%
Interviewing
$60,276
7%
Catering
$60,276
7%
Planning
$59,713
6%
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How Education impacts a Restaurant Captain's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Restaurant Captains enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Restaurant Captain with a No Diploma is between $55,093 and $58,234).

Restaurant Captain Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Restaurant Captain
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.4%
High School 35.0%
Associates 18.1%
Bachelors 40.7%
Masters 4.7%
Doctorate 0.2%
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Restaurant Captain Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Restaurant Captain's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Restaurant Captain

Salaries for a Restaurant Captain can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $47,258 in 2023 to around $47,703 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Restaurant Captain salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Restaurant Captain Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$47,258
2024
$47,921
2025
$47,703
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $47,258
2024 $47,921
2025 $47,703
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Restaurant Captain

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Restaurant Captain

Here are companies hiring for Restaurant Captain and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Restaurant Captain Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Restaurant Captain job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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