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Captain salary
Average captain salary
$52,161
Captain Salary Insights
As of October 2025, the average salary for a captain is $52,161 per year or approximately $25 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on several factors, including years of experience, geographic location, and the specific industry in which the captain operates. For instance, captains in maritime industries often earn more than those in other sectors.
Where Can Captains Earn More?
Captains can maximize their earnings by targeting states with higher salary averages. Locations with robust maritime activities or tourism often pay captains better. Additionally, industries such as shipping, fishing, and luxury cruises typically offer higher compensation. Evaluating salary estimates from various sources helps aspiring captains make informed decisions about their career paths.
Understanding Captain Salaries by State
When considering a captain's salary, reviewing averages by state is crucial. States with significant water bodies or active shipping ports tend to provide better pay. By examining these statistics, potential captains can identify the best locations to pursue their careers.
- Highest Paying States: Research which states offer the highest salaries for captains.
- Industry Comparisons: Analyze salary differences across various industries.
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Where can a Captain earn more?
Captain salary estimates from across the web
Average captain salary by state
The average captain salary in California, Delaware, and Hawaii are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average captain salary states are South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for captains
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $54,621 | $26.26 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $56,850 | $27.33 |
| 3 | Michigan | $52,920 | $25.44 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $53,528 | $25.73 |
| 5 | Ohio | $53,228 | $25.59 |
| 6 | Arizona | $53,336 | $25.64 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $56,723 | $27.27 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $54,365 | $26.14 |
| 9 | Delaware | $57,410 | $27.60 |
| 10 | Indiana | $51,205 | $24.62 |
| 11 | South Carolina | $51,396 | $24.71 |
| 12 | Virginia | $56,090 | $26.97 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $50,311 | $24.19 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $50,552 | $24.30 |
| 15 | Texas | $51,156 | $24.59 |
| 16 | California | $57,525 | $27.66 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $54,014 | $25.97 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $56,687 | $27.25 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $51,429 | $24.73 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $50,620 | $24.34 |
| 21 | New York | $56,065 | $26.95 |
| 22 | Maryland | $56,802 | $27.31 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $52,306 | $25.15 |
| 24 | Florida | $50,692 | $24.37 |
| 25 | Oregon | $52,904 | $25.43 |
| 26 | Alaska | $51,450 | $24.74 |
| 27 | Alabama | $49,835 | $23.96 |
| 28 | Washington | $51,164 | $24.60 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $49,119 | $23.61 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $56,926 | $27.37 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $51,116 | $24.57 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $49,002 | $23.56 |
| 33 | Georgia | $50,246 | $24.16 |
| 34 | Utah | $48,521 | $23.33 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $49,576 | $23.83 |
| 36 | Colorado | $47,637 | $22.90 |
| 37 | Illinois | $50,608 | $24.33 |
| 38 | Kansas | $48,273 | $23.21 |
| 39 | Iowa | $48,632 | $23.38 |
| 40 | Massachusetts | $49,781 | $23.93 |
| 41 | Idaho | $48,511 | $23.32 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $47,175 | $22.68 |
| 43 | Missouri | $48,845 | $23.48 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $47,326 | $22.75 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $47,913 | $23.04 |
| 46 | Montana | $46,515 | $22.36 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $49,271 | $23.69 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $46,730 | $22.47 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $47,200 | $22.69 |
| 50 | Vermont | $44,312 | $21.30 |
| 51 | Maine | $42,501 | $20.43 |
Highest paying cities for captains
The highest-paying cities for captains are San Francisco, CA, Philadelphia, PA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $59,421 | $28.57 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,444 | $27.62 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $56,616 | $27.22 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $56,566 | $27.20 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $54,647 | $26.27 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | $54,251 | $26.08 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $53,409 | $25.68 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $52,490 | $25.24 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $51,734 | $24.87 |
| 10 | Miami, FL | $51,657 | $24.84 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $51,651 | $24.83 |
| 12 | San Juan, PR | $51,555 | $24.79 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $51,223 | $24.63 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $50,857 | $24.45 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $50,722 | $24.39 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $50,323 | $24.19 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $49,415 | $23.76 |
| 18 | Saint Paul, MN | $49,312 | $23.71 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $47,622 | $22.90 |
| 20 | Portland, ME | $43,506 | $20.92 |
Captains are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Captain salary details
A captain's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $85,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a captain's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| Average | $52,161 | $4,347 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying captain jobs
The highest paying types of captains are quarter master, master mariner, and oil tanker captain.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banquet Captain | $34,428 | $2,869 | $16.55 | 60,883 |
| Boat Captain | $43,632 | $3,636 | $20.98 | 2,860 |
| Port Captain | $57,720 | $4,810 | $27.75 | 3,973 |
Top companies hiring captains now:
Which companies pay captains the most?
Captain salaries at Google and Adobe are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average captain salary at companies like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Gilead Sciences are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $122,079 | $58.69 | |
| 2 | Adobe | $96,383 | $46.34 |
| 3 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $94,333 | $45.35 |
| 4 | Gilead Sciences | $73,260 | $35.22 |
| 5 | CESO | $72,655 | $34.93 |
| 6 | CyberCoders | $71,339 | $34.30 |
| 7 | Farnsworth Group | $70,655 | $33.97 |
| 8 | Stantec | $69,752 | $33.53 |
| 9 | Johnson & Johnson | $69,400 | $33.37 |
| 10 | Goldbelt Falcon | $68,627 | $32.99 |
| 11 | SAIC | $67,971 | $32.68 |
| 12 | Curtain Wall Design and Consulting | $67,728 | $32.56 |
| 13 | American Equity | $67,058 | $32.24 |
| 14 | Kohler Co. | $66,947 | $32.19 |
| 15 | Occidental Petroleum | $66,899 | $32.16 |
| 16 | DuPont | $66,856 | $32.14 |
| 17 | HDR | $66,133 | $31.79 |
| 18 | Zel Technologies | $65,710 | $31.59 |
| 19 | Liberty Mutual Insurance | $65,288 | $31.39 |
| 20 | Reckitt Benckiser | $64,640 | $31.08 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Captain salary by industry
The average captain salary varies across industries:
- The average captain salary in the transportation industry is $56,617, the highest of any industry.
- The average captain salary in the finance industry is $55,328.
- Captains in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $40,397, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for captains
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $56,617 | $27.22 |
| 2 | Energy | $55,328 | $26.60 |
| 3 | Professional | $51,550 | $24.78 |
| 4 | Government | $51,361 | $24.69 |
| 5 | Education | $51,013 | $24.53 |
| 6 | Media | $49,363 | $23.73 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $40,397 | $19.42 |
High paying captain jobs
Captain salary trends
The average captain salary has risen by $8,933 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average captain earned $43,228 annually, but today, they earn $52,161 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for captains over the last decade.
Compare captain salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average captain salary over time
Compare captain salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Captain salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $52,200 | $25.08 | +6.2% |
| 2025 | $48,900 | $23.52 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $46,800 | $22.49 | -2.5% |
| 2023 | $48,000 | $23.06 | -2.5% |
| 2022 | $49,200 | $23.63 | -5.6% |
Recently added captain salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Catering Captain | Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Fives | Event Captain | Cincinnati, OH | 06/30/2025 | $18,783 |
| Fives | Event Captain | Baltimore, MD | 06/30/2025 | $16,696 |
| Fives | Event Captain | Boston, MA | 06/30/2025 | $20,870 |
| Pier 39 | Captain | Alameda, CA | 06/29/2025 | $119,209 |
| State of Oklahoma | Captain | Cole, OK | 06/29/2025 | $57,388 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Senior Catering Captain | Minneapolis, MN | 06/28/2025 | $50,088 |
| Empire Airlines | C208 Captain | Phoenix, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $72,020 |
| Ktgy Group, Inc. | Senior Job Captain | Denver, CO | 06/28/2025 | $80,000 |
| Five Iron Golf | Event Captain | Cincinnati, OH | 06/28/2025 | $18,783 |
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