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 $221,357, an Information Technology Supervisor I (12+ years)earns $102,646, an Ship Captain (12+ years)earns $142,110, an Information Technology Manager (12+ years)earns $151,699, an Information Technology Senior Manager (12+ years)earns $185,134,

What are the highest paying cities for a Ship Captain?

Ship Captain salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in California for Ship Captain roles are San Jose $164,445, San Francisco $162,644, Oakland $159,216.

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: $92,930; Ship Officer: $77,117; Ship Operator: $72,496; Ship Engineer: $64,917.

What specialized skills increase a Ship Captain's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Information Security (up to 7% premium), Consulting (up to 5% premium), Collaboration (up to 5% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Ship Captain Salary in Sunset Beach, CA

How much does a Ship Captain make in Sunset Beach, CA?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Ship Captain in Sunset Beach, CA is $142,739 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $69.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $159,075
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $128,462 to $151,290
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $115,463

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Ship Captain Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$151,290	$12,607	$2,909	$73
Average	$142,739	$11,895	$2,745	$69
25th Percentile	$128,462	$10,705	$2,470	$62

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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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, skills 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): $221,357
Early Career (1-2 years): $102,646
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $142,110
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $151,699
Expert (over 8 years): $185,134

Levels	Salary
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$221,357
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$102,646
Ship Capt... Level Ship Captain	$142,110
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$151,699
Informati... Level Ship Captain	$185,134

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What Am I Worth?

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: $164,445
San Francisco: $162,644
Oakland: $159,216

San Jose, CA $164,445

San Francisco, CA $162,644

Oakland, CA $159,216

New York, NY $150,115

Paramus, NJ $148,289

Queens Village, NY $148,283

Passaic, NJ $148,159

Bergenfield, NJ $148,147

Stamford, CT $147,861

Huntington, NY $147,807

Newark, NJ $146,844

Bridgeport, CT $146,569

Vallejo, CA $146,309

New Brunswick, NJ $146,257

Petaluma, CA $146,179

Middlesex, NJ $145,931

Somerset, NJ $145,840

Santa Cruz, CA $145,670

Boston, MA $144,875

Monterey, CA $144,417

Seattle, WA $144,119

Santa Rosa, CA $144,093

Los Angeles, CA $144,054

Juneau, AK $143,715

Washington, DC $143,571

Orange, CA $143,107

Santa Ana, CA $142,763

Long Beach, CA $142,632

Anaheim, CA $142,606

Anchorage, AK $142,541

Santa Maria, CA $142,150

Everett, WA $142,124

Danbury, CT $141,665

Bremerton, WA $141,485

Tacoma, WA $141,016

New Suffolk, NY $141,013

Sacramento, CA $140,977

Santa Barbara, CA $140,833

Trenton, NJ $140,690

San Diego, CA $140,690

Brockton, MA $140,546

Fairbanks, AK $140,227

Lompoc, CA $139,895

Lowell, MA $139,789

Ventura, CA $139,764

Nashua, NH $139,738

Stockton, CA $139,725

Modesto, CA $138,773

Poughkeepsie, NY $138,486

Olympia, WA $138,239

Kennewick, WA $138,239

New Haven, CT $138,187

Lawrence, MA $137,717

Hartford, CT $137,587

Riverside, CA $137,561

New Bedford, MA $137,430

Richland, WA $137,430

Bakersfield, CA $137,248

San Bernardino, CA $137,196

New Britain, CT $137,183

Atlantic City, NJ $137,183

New London, CT $137,131

Norwich, CT $137,091

Portsmouth, NH $137,065

Boulder, CO $136,789

Portland, OR $136,609

Worcester, MA $136,596

Minneapolis, MN $136,192

Philadelphia, PA $136,009

Honolulu, HI $135,579

Saint Paul, MN $135,516

Vineland, NJ $135,488

Providence, RI $135,110

Chicago, IL $134,732

Bellingham, WA $134,575

Springfield, MA $134,471

Baltimore, MD $134,432

Chico, CA $134,106

Pittsfield, MA $133,754

Manchester, NH $133,506

Spokane, WA $132,932

Denver, CO $132,919

Albany, NY $132,307

Troy, NY $132,254

Nassau, NY $132,115

Schenectady, NY $131,981

Wilmington, DE $131,876

Burlington, VT $131,694

Salem, OR $131,642

Portland, ME $131,237

Yakima, WA $131,107

Rochester, MN $130,703

Reno, NV $130,638

Fresno, CA $130,638

Milwaukee, WI $130,520

Detroit, MI $130,390

Ann Arbor, MI $130,368

Allentown, PA $130,351

Colorado Springs, CO $130,129

Syracuse, NY $130,064

Carson City, NV $130,064

Houston, TX $129,882

Eugene, OR $129,816

Gary, IN $129,660

Springfield, OR $129,556

Bismarck, ND $129,530

Galveston, TX $129,438

Medford, OR $129,243

Fort Collins, CO $129,191

Concord, NH $129,125

Austin, TX $129,086

Mesa, AZ $128,812

Reading, PA $128,799

Phoenix, AZ $128,786

Dallas, TX $128,747

Saint Cloud, MN $128,622

Madison, WI $128,447

Utica, NY $128,095

Rochester, NY $127,887

Des Moines, IA $127,874

Raleigh, NC $127,861

Atlanta, GA $127,665

Battle Creek, MI $127,626

Salt Lake City, UT $127,587

Lancaster, PA $127,391

Harrisburg, PA $127,209

Kansas City, MO $127,078

Champaign, IL $127,052

Kansas City, KS $127,052

Fort Worth, TX $127,039

Columbus, OH $127,017

Boca Raton, FL $126,987

Pittsburgh, PA $126,935

Richmond, VA $126,883

Indianapolis, IN $126,857

Cleveland, OH $126,844

Las Vegas, NV $126,687

Cincinnati, OH $126,687

Petersburg, VA $126,492

Huntsville, AL $126,296

Lansing, MI $126,209

Lebanon, PA $126,192

Pueblo, CO $126,179

Appleton, WI $126,140

Buffalo, NY $126,088

Dayton, OH $126,048

Racine, WI $126,022

Charlotte, NC $126,009

Saint Louis, MO $125,970

York, PA $125,892

Elkhart, IN $125,892

Gastonia, NC $125,867

Billings, MT $125,836

Beaumont, TX $125,801

Lorain, OH $125,775

Benton Harbor, MI $125,749

Toledo, OH $125,723

Binghamton, NY $125,657

Rock Hill, SC $125,644

Rockford, IL $125,579

Springfield, IL $125,527

Elyria, OH $125,514

Fargo, ND $125,514

Flagstaff, AZ $125,423

Fort Lauderdale, FL $125,344

Duluth, MN $125,266

Miami, FL $125,266

Cheyenne, WY $125,175

Grand Forks, ND $125,175

Bangor, ME $124,888

Cedar Rapids, IA $124,745

Durham, NC $124,690

Louisville, KY $124,680

Grand Rapids, MI $124,653

Hialeah, FL $124,640

Casper, WY $124,458

Scranton, PA $124,301

New Orleans, LA $124,262

Virginia Beach, VA $124,249

Akron, OH $124,184

Peoria, IL $124,015

Sarasota, FL $123,989

Nashville, TN $123,897

Omaha, NE $123,897

Green Bay, WI $123,897

Baton Rouge, LA $123,832

Charleston, SC $123,806

Jamestown, NY $123,741

Davenport, IA $123,741

Tucson, AZ $123,676

Saint Petersburg, FL $123,597

Tampa, FL $123,571

Evansville, IN $123,493

Port Arthur, TX $123,493

Bradenton, FL $123,441

Santa Fe, NM $123,206

Orlando, FL $122,972

Clearwater, FL $122,932

Canton, OH $122,659

La Crosse, WI $122,659

Albuquerque, NM $122,580

Newport News, VA $122,567

High Point, NC $122,528

Ogden, UT $122,476

Corpus Christi, TX $122,372

Norfolk, VA $122,294

Laramie, WY $122,294

Rock Island, IL $122,215

Saginaw, MI $122,189

Jacksonville, FL $122,176

Salisbury, NC $122,150

Boise, ID $122,124

Moline, IL $122,059

Fort Myers, FL $122,020

Memphis, TN $121,994

Tulsa, OK $121,929

Waterloo, IA $121,850

Spartanburg, SC $121,720

Lincoln, NE $121,655

Fort Wayne, IN $121,629

Provo, UT $121,616

Cedar Falls, IA $121,459

San Antonio, TX $121,407

Greensboro, NC $121,355

South Bend, IN $121,342

Savannah, GA $121,198

Muskegon, MI $121,146

Birmingham, AL $121,133

Winston Salem, NC $121,069

Lake Charles, LA $120,755

Anderson, IN $120,729

Lexington, KY $120,690

Augusta, GA $120,651

Greenville, SC $120,651

Lima, OH $120,547

Wichita, KS $120,534

Tuscaloosa, AL $120,534

Columbia, SC $120,416

Springfield, OH $120,390

Asheville, NC $120,182

Bloomington, IN $120,090

Knoxville, TN $119,621

Shreveport, LA $119,608

Wilmington, NC $119,438

Roanoke, VA $119,438

Topeka, KS $119,204

Frankfort, KY $119,189

Oklahoma City, OK $119,099

Chillicothe, OH $119,047

Longview, TX $119,034

Melbourne, FL $119,021

Sioux Falls, SD $118,813

Mobile, AL $118,800

Terre Haute, IN $118,747

Altoona, PA $118,669

Amarillo, TX $118,578

Killeen, TX $118,539

Fayetteville, AR $118,434

Chattanooga, TN $118,395

Sioux City, IA $118,278

Idaho Falls, ID $118,252

Lynchburg, VA $118,148

Gainesville, FL $117,978

Portsmouth, OH $117,913

Little Rock, AR $117,887

Lafayette, LA $117,835

Youngstown, OH $117,835

Daytona Beach, FL $117,757

Clarksville, TN $117,743

Pensacola, FL $117,730

Temple, TX $117,721

Hopkinsville, KY $117,339

Erie, PA $117,313

Florence, SC $117,261

Charleston, WV $117,052

Great Falls, MT $116,987

Macon, GA $116,805

Tallahassee, FL $116,792

Fayetteville, NC $116,766

Waco, TX $116,740

Helena, MT $116,648

Pine Bluff, AR $116,599

Vincennes, IN $116,440

Lubbock, TX $116,388

Alamogordo, NM $116,309

Twin Falls, ID $116,192

Rapid City, SD $116,153

Jackson, MS $115,918

Huntington, WV $115,909

Greenville, MS $115,905

Parkersburg, WV $115,772

Montgomery, AL $115,749

Wichita Falls, TX $115,618

Springfield, MO $115,618

Biloxi, MS $115,553

Monroe, LA $115,423

Johnstown, PA $115,331

Sumter, SC $115,279

Columbus, GA $115,266

Pascagoula, MS $115,019

Abilene, TX $115,019

Kingsport, TN $114,680

Albany, GA $114,680

Gulfport, MS $114,640

Alexandria, LA $114,210

Fort Smith, AR $113,884

El Paso, TX $113,532

Las Cruces, NM $112,946

Harlingen, TX $112,614

Pocatello, ID $112,594

Florence, AL $112,424

Brownsville, TX $112,398

Mcallen, TX $112,124

Dothan, AL $111,942

Columbus, MS $111,167

Altus, OK $110,560

Lawton, OK $110,312

Pierre, SD $109,843

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	$152,731	7%
Consulting	$149,876	5%
Collaboration	$149,876	5%
Innovation	$149,876	5%
IT Operations	$149,876	5%
Disaster Recovery	$149,876	5%

Get Latest Data

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 May 01, 2026

$128,462

Average $142,739/year

$151,290

$10,705

Average $11,895/month

$12,607

$2,470

Average $2,745/week

$2,909

$62

Average $69/hour

$73

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$151,290	$12,607	$2,909	$73
Average	$142,739	$11,895	$2,745	$69
25th Percentile	$128,462	$10,705	$2,470	$62

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