What are the main factors that influence a Ship Captain's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Ship Captain's salary?

A Ship Captain's salary grows with experience: an Information Technology Generalist VI (10-12 years)earns $202,184, an Information Technology Supervisor I (12+ years)earns $93,758, an Ship Captain (12+ years)earns $129,788, an Information Technology Manager (12+ years)earns $138,558, an Information Technology Senior Manager (12+ years)earns $169,095,

What are the highest paying states for a Ship Captain?

Ship Captain salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Ship Captain roles are District of Columbia $144,340, California $143,793, Massachusetts $141,876. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Ship Captain roles make?

Salaries for Ship Captain level roles vary by specialization: Captain: $164,700; Cruise Ship Captain: $92,925; Ship Officer: $77,112; Ship Operator: $72,372; Ship Engineer: $64,805.

How do different companies affect a Ship Captain's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Ship Captain roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Ship Captain Salary in the United States

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

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Ship Captain in the United States is $130,365 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $63.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $145,360
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $117,347 to $138,214
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,495

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Ship Captain Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$138,214	$11,518	$2,658	$66
Average	$130,365	$10,864	$2,507	$63
25th Percentile	$117,347	$9,779	$2,257	$56

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Key Factors That Influence Ship Captain Salaries

A Ship 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 Experience Level Affects Ship Captain Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Ship Captain's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $202,184
Early Career (1-2 years): $93,758
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $129,788
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $138,558
Expert (over 8 years): $169,095

Levels	Salary
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$202,184
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$93,758
Ship Capt... Level Ship Captain	$129,788
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$138,558
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$169,095

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Ship 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 Ship Captains. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $144,340.
California: $143,793.
Massachusetts: $141,876.

District of Columbia $144,340 California $143,793 Massachusetts $141,876 Washington $141,355 New Jersey $141,303 Alaska $141,120 Connecticut $139,321 New York $138,591

Hawaii $136,257 Rhode Island $135,162 Maryland $134,419 Minnesota $133,403 Colorado $133,011 Illinois $132,881 Oregon $132,386 Delaware $132,021

New Hampshire $131,791 Virginia $131,278 Pennsylvania $129,778 Nevada $129,022 North Dakota $128,775 Michigan $128,383 Wisconsin $128,240 Vermont $127,953

Texas $127,158 Maine $127,106 Arizona $127,028 Ohio $126,936 Georgia $125,737 Indiana $125,137 Wyoming $125,020 Utah $124,838

Iowa $124,759 Kansas $124,134 Louisiana $123,951 North Carolina $123,886 Missouri $123,860 Florida $123,351 Montana $123,078 Nebraska $122,817

Kentucky $122,673 South Carolina $122,152 Tennessee $121,826 Idaho $121,696 New Mexico $120,744 Oklahoma $120,535 Alabama $119,766 South Dakota $118,476

Arkansas $117,772 West Virginia $117,394 Mississippi $116,260

Top Paying Cities for Ship 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: $164,429
San Francisco: $162,813
Oakland: $159,202

San Jose, CA $164,429

San Francisco, CA $162,813

Oakland, CA $159,202

New York, NY $151,080

Queens Village, NY $150,102

Paramus, NJ $149,059

Passaic, NJ $148,929

Bergenfield, NJ $148,799

Stamford, CT $148,603

Huntington, NY $148,473

Newark, NJ $147,625

Bridgeport, CT $147,365

New Brunswick, NJ $146,934

Vallejo, CA $146,661

Middlesex, NJ $146,582

Somerset, NJ $146,465

Petaluma, CA $146,165

Santa Cruz, CA $145,657

Boston, MA $145,396

Monterey, CA $144,744

Fairbanks, AK $144,653

Los Angeles, CA $144,405

Washington, DC $144,340

Seattle, WA $144,105

Santa Rosa, CA $144,079

Juneau, AK $143,701

Orange, CA $143,271

Anchorage, AK $143,036

Anaheim, CA $142,945

Santa Ana, CA $142,750

Nassau, NY $142,671

Long Beach, CA $142,619

Danbury, CT $142,580

Santa Maria, CA $142,137

Everett, WA $142,111

Bremerton, WA $141,472

Trenton, NJ $141,224

Sacramento, CA $141,172

San Diego, CA $141,107

Brockton, MA $141,055

Tacoma, WA $141,003

Santa Barbara, CA $140,820

Lowell, MA $140,299

New Suffolk, NY $140,247

Nashua, NH $140,090

Lompoc, CA $139,882

Ventura, CA $139,751

Stockton, CA $139,712

New Haven, CT $139,451

Atlantic City, NJ $139,112

Hartford, CT $138,826

Modesto, CA $138,761

Poughkeepsie, NY $138,474

New Britain, CT $138,409

Olympia, WA $138,226

Kennewick, WA $138,226

New London, CT $138,200

Norwich, CT $138,161

Lawrence, MA $138,096

Bakersfield, CA $137,731

Riverside, CA $137,548

New Bedford, MA $137,548

Richland, WA $137,418

Portsmouth, NH $137,313

Vineland, NJ $137,287

San Bernardino, CA $137,183

Boulder, CO $136,818

Worcester, MA $136,714

Portland, OR $136,596

Saint Paul, MN $136,440

Minneapolis, MN $136,440

Philadelphia, PA $136,257

Honolulu, HI $135,567

Springfield, MA $135,110

Providence, RI $135,097

Chicago, IL $134,719

Bellingham, WA $134,563

Baltimore, MD $134,419

Chico, CA $134,093

Wilmington, DE $133,872

Pittsfield, MA $133,741

Manchester, NH $133,494

Spokane, WA $132,920

Denver, CO $132,907

Albany, NY $132,294

Troy, NY $132,242

Schenectady, NY $131,968

Burlington, VT $131,682

Portland, ME $131,225

Salem, OR $131,121

Yakima, WA $131,095

Ann Arbor, MI $131,056

Rochester, MN $130,691

Fresno, CA $130,626

Reno, NV $130,626

Milwaukee, WI $130,508

Detroit, MI $130,378

Allentown, PA $130,339

Carson City, NV $130,326

Houston, TX $130,130

Colorado Springs, CO $130,117

Syracuse, NY $130,052

Eugene, OR $129,804

Bismarck, ND $129,648

Gary, IN $129,648

Galveston, TX $129,648

Springfield, OR $129,544

Medford, OR $129,231

Fort Collins, CO $129,179

Austin, TX $129,074

Mesa, AZ $128,801

Phoenix, AZ $128,775

Dallas, TX $128,735

Reading, PA $128,657

Saint Cloud, MN $128,605

Concord, NH $128,488

Madison, WI $128,436

Utica, NY $128,084

Raleigh, NC $127,979

Las Vegas, NV $127,966

Rochester, NY $127,875

Des Moines, IA $127,862

Atlanta, GA $127,653

Battle Creek, MI $127,614

Salt Lake City, UT $127,575

Lancaster, PA $127,380

Champaign, IL $127,354

Harrisburg, PA $127,197

Durham, NC $127,080

Kansas City, MO $127,067

Kansas City, KS $127,041

Fort Worth, TX $127,028

Boca Raton, FL $126,976

Cleveland, OH $126,962

Columbus, OH $126,936

Pittsburgh, PA $126,923

Richmond, VA $126,871

Indianapolis, IN $126,845

Cincinnati, OH $126,676

Petersburg, VA $126,480

Billings, MT $126,193

Lansing, MI $126,193

Huntsville, AL $126,193

Lebanon, PA $126,180

Dayton, OH $126,167

Pueblo, CO $126,167

Appleton, WI $126,128

Buffalo, NY $126,076

Racine, WI $126,011

Charlotte, NC $125,998

Saint Louis, MO $125,959

Springfield, IL $125,907

Elkhart, IN $125,880

York, PA $125,880

Gastonia, NC $125,867

Benton Harbor, MI $125,867

Beaumont, TX $125,789

Lorain, OH $125,763

Toledo, OH $125,711

Binghamton, NY $125,646

Rock Hill, SC $125,633

Rockford, IL $125,568

Fargo, ND $125,502

Elyria, OH $125,502

Flagstaff, AZ $125,411

Fort Lauderdale, FL $125,333

Miami, FL $125,255

Duluth, MN $125,046

Bangor, ME $124,877

Cedar Rapids, IA $124,733

Louisville, KY $124,668

Grand Rapids, MI $124,642

Hialeah, FL $124,629

Casper, WY $124,446

Scranton, PA $124,290

New Orleans, LA $124,251

Virginia Beach, VA $124,238

Akron, OH $124,173

Peoria, IL $124,003

Sarasota, FL $123,977

Green Bay, WI $123,886

Baton Rouge, LA $123,821

Charleston, SC $123,795

Nashville, TN $123,755

Jamestown, NY $123,729

Davenport, IA $123,729

Tucson, AZ $123,664

Cheyenne, WY $123,625

Saint Petersburg, FL $123,586

Tampa, FL $123,560

Omaha, NE $123,534

Port Arthur, TX $123,482

Evansville, IN $123,482

Bradenton, FL $123,430

Santa Fe, NM $123,195

Orlando, FL $123,065

Clearwater, FL $122,921

Canton, OH $122,647

La Crosse, WI $122,647

Grand Forks, ND $122,608

Albuquerque, NM $122,569

Tulsa, OK $122,569

Newport News, VA $122,556

High Point, NC $122,517

Ogden, UT $122,465

Corpus Christi, TX $122,361

Laramie, WY $122,282

Norfolk, VA $122,282

Rock Island, IL $122,204

Saginaw, MI $122,178

Jacksonville, FL $122,165

Salisbury, NC $122,139

Memphis, TN $122,113

Moline, IL $122,048

Fort Myers, FL $122,009

Waterloo, IA $121,839

Spartanburg, SC $121,709

Lincoln, NE $121,644

Fort Wayne, IN $121,618

Birmingham, AL $121,474

Cedar Falls, IA $121,448

Provo, UT $121,435

Springfield, OH $121,422

San Antonio, TX $121,396

Greensboro, NC $121,344

South Bend, IN $121,331

Winston Salem, NC $121,318

Boise, ID $121,279

Savannah, GA $121,187

Muskegon, MI $120,953

Lima, OH $120,796

Lake Charles, LA $120,744

Anderson, IN $120,718

Lexington, KY $120,679

Augusta, GA $120,640

Greenville, SC $120,640

Wichita, KS $120,522

Tuscaloosa, AL $120,522

Columbia, SC $120,405

Bloomington, IN $120,079

Roanoke, VA $120,001

Asheville, NC $119,832

Knoxville, TN $119,610

Shreveport, LA $119,597

Wilmington, NC $119,427

Frankfort, KY $119,180

Oklahoma City, OK $119,088

Chillicothe, OH $119,036

Longview, TX $119,023

Topeka, KS $118,984

Mobile, AL $118,789

Terre Haute, IN $118,736

Erie, PA $118,723

Altoona, PA $118,658

Melbourne, FL $118,619

Amarillo, TX $118,567

Killeen, TX $118,528

Fayetteville, AR $118,424

Sioux Falls, SD $118,332

Chattanooga, TN $118,254

Idaho Falls, ID $118,241

Gainesville, FL $117,967

Portsmouth, OH $117,902

Little Rock, AR $117,876

Lynchburg, VA $117,876

Lafayette, LA $117,824

Youngstown, OH $117,824

Temple, TX $117,772

Daytona Beach, FL $117,746

Clarksville, TN $117,733

Pensacola, FL $117,720

Hopkinsville, KY $117,329

Charleston, WV $117,315

Florence, SC $117,250

Sioux City, IA $117,172

Macon, GA $116,794

Tallahassee, FL $116,781

Fayetteville, NC $116,755

Waco, TX $116,729

Wichita Falls, TX $116,729

Pine Bluff, AR $116,677

Vincennes, IN $116,429

Lubbock, TX $116,377

Great Falls, MT $116,299

Alamogordo, NM $116,286

Abilene, TX $116,181

Rapid City, SD $116,012

Monroe, LA $116,012

Albany, GA $115,934

Huntington, WV $115,921

Jackson, MS $115,908

Greenville, MS $115,894

Parkersburg, WV $115,764

Montgomery, AL $115,738

Johnstown, PA $115,712

Springfield, MO $115,608

Biloxi, MS $115,542

Sumter, SC $115,269

Columbus, GA $115,256

Twin Falls, ID $115,177

Pascagoula, MS $115,008

Kingsport, TN $114,669

Gulfport, MS $114,630

Alexandria, LA $114,200

Fort Smith, AR $113,874

El Paso, TX $113,522

Helena, MT $113,352

Las Cruces, NM $112,935

Harlingen, TX $112,570

Pocatello, ID $112,453

Florence, AL $112,414

Brownsville, TX $112,388

Dothan, AL $112,179

Mcallen, TX $112,114

Columbus, MS $111,149

Altus, OK $110,550

Lawton, OK $110,302

Pierre, SD $109,833

What Skills Can Increase a Ship Captain's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 7.96% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Telecommunications (Mentioned in 2.08% Job Postings): Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio or optical. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that feasible with the human voice.
Computer Hardware (Mentioned in 1.8% Job Postings): Maintaining, configuring, and setting up computer hardware to increase business efficiency and staff productivity.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	7.96%
Telecommunications	2.08%
Computer Hardware	1.8%

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 Ship Captain's salary.

Information Security: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Information Security	$139,491	7%
Consulting	$136,883	5%
Collaboration	$136,883	5%
Innovation	$136,883	5%
IT Operations	$136,883	5%
Disaster Recovery	$136,883	5%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Ship Captain's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Ship Captains enter the field with a Associate's Degree 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 Ship Captain with a Associate's Degree is between $116,520 and $125,625).

Ship Captain Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Ship Captain

No Diploma 2.8%

High School 23.6%

Associates 11.1%

Bachelors 48.6%

Masters 13.9%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.8%
High School	23.6%
Associates	11.1%
Bachelors	48.6%
Masters	13.9%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Ship Captain Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Ship 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 April 01, 2026

$117,347

Average $130,365/year

$138,214

$9,779

Average $10,864/month

$11,518

$2,257

Average $2,507/week

$2,658

$56

Average $63/hour

$66

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$138,214	$11,518	$2,658	$66
Average	$130,365	$10,864	$2,507	$63
25th Percentile	$117,347	$9,779	$2,257	$56

Salaries of jobs related to Ship Captain

Salary Trends for Ship Captain

Salaries for a Ship Captain can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $88,978 in 2023 to around $88,751 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Ship Captain salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Ship Captain Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$88,978

2024

$89,854

2025

$88,751

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$88,978
2024	$89,854
2025	$88,751
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Ship Captain

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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