The average salary for a ship captain in Hawaii is around $72,960 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship captains earn an average yearly salary of $72,960.
Wages typically start from $47,550 and go up to $115,100.
6% above national average Updated in 2025
Ship captain earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$55.34 per hour
$115,100 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$49.40 per hour
$102,750 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$35.08 per hour
$72,960 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level ship captain earnings begin at:
$25.47 per hour
$52,980 per year
10th percentile
Starting level ship captain earnings begin at:
$22.86 per hour
$47,550 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 Hawaii. On average, they make less than logisticians but more than ship loaders.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Logistician salary | $100K |
| Transportation planner salary | $93K |
| Customs broker salary | $93K |
| Aircraft mechanic salary | $91K |
| Avionics technician salary | $86K |
| Ship captain salary | $73K |
| Shipmate salary | $73K |
| Sailor salary | $76K |
| Bus driver salary | $68K |
| Ship loader salary | $45K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)




