The average salary for a ship captain in California is around $110,090 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship captains earn an average yearly salary of $110,090.
Wages typically start from $56,060 and go up to $348,100.
59% above national average Updated in 2025
Ship captain earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$167.36 per hour
$348,100 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$63.61 per hour
$132,310 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$52.93 per hour
$110,090 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$35.40 per hour
$73,630 per year
10th percentile
Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:
$26.95 per hour
$56,060 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 15% more than similar careers in California. On average, they make more than transit police officers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Ship captain salary | $110K |
| Shipmate salary | $110K |
| Transportation planner salary | $98K |
| Customs broker salary | $88K |
| Transit police officer salary | $110K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)