Research Summary. In 2026, the Zippia data science team conducted comprehensive research on ship worker salaries across the United States and found the following insights:
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Vermont offers the highest average salary for ship workers at $34,655.
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Texas has the lowest average salary for ship workers at $21,075.
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The national average salary for ship workers is $28,576.
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The national hourly wage for ship workers is $13.74.
You can read more about our specific methodology.
Background
Consistently, salary remains the most critical factor for individuals considering job opportunities. Many want to know: how much do ship workers earn in my region?
While various factors influence individual salaries, robust data exists for average ship worker salaries by state, categorized by experience level. While your specific city might differ slightly from the state average, these figures provide a general understanding of expected earnings.
After adjustments, the state that tops the salary rankings for ship workers is Vermont.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for ship worker salaries:
Let’s explore how we arrived at these numbers and examine a complete ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Ship Workers By State
| Rank | State | Average Ship Worker Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $34,655 | $28,000 | $41,000 |
| 2 | Maryland | $32,265 | $22,000 | $46,000 |
| 3 | Maine | $31,971 | $27,000 | $37,000 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $31,923 | $22,000 | $44,000 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $31,693 | $21,000 | $46,000 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $31,595 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $30,558 | $21,000 | $43,000 |
| 8 | California | $30,324 | $18,000 | $48,000 |
| 9 | Illinois | $29,978 | $20,000 | $43,000 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $29,861 | $22,000 | $39,000 |
| 11 | New York | $29,562 | $21,000 | $40,000 |
| 12 | Washington | $29,514 | $20,000 | $43,000 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $29,234 | $19,000 | $44,000 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $28,937 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 15 | Iowa | $28,802 | $19,000 | $42,000 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $28,413 | $18,000 | $42,000 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $27,959 | $20,000 | $38,000 |
| 18 | Virginia | $27,732 | $18,000 | $40,000 |
| 19 | Kansas | $27,421 | $17,000 | $42,000 |
| 20 | Arizona | $27,330 | $17,000 | $43,000 |
| 21 | Delaware | $27,299 | $19,000 | $39,000 |
| 22 | Alaska | $27,250 | $24,000 | $29,000 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $26,544 | $17,000 | $39,000 |
| 24 | Colorado | $26,409 | $16,000 | $41,000 |
| 25 | Montana | $26,408 | $18,000 | $38,000 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $26,350 | $17,000 | $40,000 |
| 27 | Indiana | $26,283 | $17,000 | $38,000 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $25,656 | $17,000 | $36,000 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $25,635 | $16,000 | $39,000 |
| 30 | Utah | $25,388 | $15,000 | $41,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $25,377 | $16,000 | $38,000 |
| 32 | Georgia | $25,356 | $16,000 | $38,000 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $25,179 | $16,000 | $38,000 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $25,100 | $16,000 | $37,000 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $25,039 | $18,000 | $33,000 |
| 36 | Florida | $24,709 | $16,000 | $36,000 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $24,543 | $15,000 | $39,000 |
| 38 | Michigan | $24,315 | $17,000 | $33,000 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $24,118 | $19,000 | $29,000 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $24,065 | $16,000 | $35,000 |
| 41 | Oregon | $23,870 | $15,000 | $37,000 |
| 42 | Nevada | $23,789 | $14,000 | $39,000 |
| 43 | Alabama | $23,784 | $15,000 | $35,000 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $23,623 | $15,000 | $36,000 |
| 45 | Idaho | $23,596 | $15,000 | $36,000 |
| 46 | Ohio | $22,949 | $15,000 | $33,000 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $22,128 | $19,000 | $24,000 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $22,022 | $14,000 | $33,000 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $21,848 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| 50 | Texas | $21,075 | $13,000 | $32,000 |
Methodology: Ship Worker Salary By State
To gain insights into ship worker salaries by state, Zippia aggregated data from various reputable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This data is supplemented with actual salaries from job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average to determine the average pay for ship workers by state.
We ranked each state based on average annual salary data derived from these estimates, identifying the state with the highest average salary for ship workers.
Ship Worker Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for ship workers?
The highest-paid state for ship workers is Vermont, with an average salary of $34,655 per year.
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What city pays ship workers the most?
Baltimore, MD offers the highest salary for ship workers, averaging $32,416 per year.
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What is the worst state for ship workers?
The state with the lowest average salary for ship workers is Texas, at $21,075 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
