The average salary for a ship captain in the United States is around $92,460 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship captains earn an average yearly salary of $92,460.
Wages typically start from $47,420 and go up to $170,640.
51% above national average Updated in 2025
Ship captain earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$82.04 per hour
$170,640 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$61.14 per hour
$127,180 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$44.45 per hour
$92,460 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$30.71 per hour
$63,880 per year
10th percentile
Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:
$22.80 per hour
$47,420 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Ship captain salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Iowa | $97,700 |
| Oregon | $97,050 |
| Indiana | $92,000 |
| Arkansas | $90,720 |
| New Jersey | $90,310 |
| Alaska | $88,230 |
| Virginia | $87,610 |
| West Virginia | $85,290 |
| Missouri | $83,670 |
| Minnesota | $80,920 |
| Oklahoma | $79,110 |
| Kentucky | $79,090 |
| Massachusetts | $77,950 |
| Georgia | $77,090 |
| Rhode Island | $76,790 |
| Florida | $76,040 |
| New Hampshire | $75,870 |
| Connecticut | $75,810 |
| Wisconsin | $74,390 |
| Delaware | $73,280 |
| Hawaii | $72,960 |
| Maine | $72,770 |
| Illinois | $69,600 |
| North Carolina | $69,170 |
| Alabama | $68,920 |
| Vermont | $64,020 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,420 |
| Arizona | $58,700 |
| South Carolina | $57,660 |
| Ohio | $56,070 |
| Michigan | $53,590 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $50,970 |
| Utah | $50,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,360 |
| Maryland | $138,950 |
| Tennessee | $132,710 |
| Louisiana | $117,160 |
| Texas | $111,390 |
| California | $110,090 |
| New York | $104,800 |
| Mississippi | $104,220 |
| Washington | $103,730 |
How do ship captain salaries compare to similar careers?
Ship captains earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than transportation planners but more than logisticians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Transportation planner salary | $101K |
| Ship captain salary | $92K |
| Shipmate salary | $92K |
| Customs broker salary | $83K |
| Transit police officer salary | $90K |
| Logistician salary | $82K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)