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Ship worker salary
Average ship worker salary
$13.74
Average Ship Worker Salary
The average salary for a ship worker in the United States stands at around $28,576 per year or approximately $14 per hour. This figure can differ significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by State
For instance, states like Washington and California tend to offer higher salaries, often exceeding the national average. In contrast, regions with a lower cost of living may present lower wage opportunities.
Highest Paying Cities
Cities such as Seattle and San Diego frequently appear among the highest-paying locations for ship workers. This dynamic reflects the demand for skilled labor in maritime industries, which can influence local salary averages.
Career Advancement
Ship workers can also explore various career paths, including specialized roles that often command higher compensation. By understanding the salary landscape and employment opportunities, aspiring ship workers can strategically plan their careers in this vital industry.
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Where can a Ship Worker earn more?
Average ship worker salary by state
The highest-paying states for ship workers are Vermont, Maryland, and Maine. The lowest average ship worker salary states are Idaho, Ohio, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for ship workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $31,693 | $15.24 |
| 2 | Washington | $29,514 | $14.19 |
| 3 | Vermont | $34,655 | $16.66 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $28,413 | $13.66 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $31,595 | $15.19 |
| 6 | Maryland | $32,265 | $15.51 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $33,269 | $15.99 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $29,234 | $14.05 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $30,558 | $14.69 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $26,350 | $12.67 |
| 11 | California | $30,324 | $14.58 |
| 12 | New York | $29,562 | $14.21 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $31,923 | $15.35 |
| 14 | Maine | $31,971 | $15.37 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $29,861 | $14.36 |
| 16 | Iowa | $28,802 | $13.85 |
| 17 | Illinois | $29,978 | $14.41 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $25,656 | $12.33 |
| 19 | Arizona | $27,330 | $13.14 |
| 20 | Utah | $25,388 | $12.21 |
| 21 | Delaware | $27,299 | $13.12 |
| 22 | Kansas | $27,421 | $13.18 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $28,937 | $13.91 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $25,179 | $12.11 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $26,544 | $12.76 |
| 26 | Virginia | $27,732 | $13.33 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $25,635 | $12.32 |
| 28 | Montana | $26,408 | $12.70 |
| 29 | Georgia | $25,356 | $12.19 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $27,959 | $13.44 |
| 31 | Missouri | $25,377 | $12.20 |
| 32 | Colorado | $26,409 | $12.70 |
| 33 | Indiana | $26,283 | $12.64 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $25,100 | $12.07 |
| 35 | Florida | $24,709 | $11.88 |
| 36 | Alaska | $27,250 | $13.10 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $22,128 | $10.64 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $24,543 | $11.80 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $25,039 | $12.04 |
| 40 | Oregon | $23,870 | $11.48 |
| 41 | Michigan | $24,315 | $11.69 |
| 42 | Alabama | $23,784 | $11.43 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $24,065 | $11.57 |
| 44 | Idaho | $23,596 | $11.34 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $23,623 | $11.36 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $22,022 | $10.59 |
| 47 | Nevada | $23,789 | $11.44 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $24,118 | $11.60 |
| 49 | Ohio | $22,949 | $11.03 |
| 50 | Texas | $21,075 | $10.13 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $21,848 | $10.50 |
Highest paying cities for ship workers
The highest-paying cities for ship workers are Baltimore, MD, Portland, ME, and Newark, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $32,416 | $15.58 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $32,087 | $15.43 |
| 3 | Newark, NJ | $31,939 | $15.36 |
| 4 | Woonsocket, RI | $31,505 | $15.15 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $30,774 | $14.80 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | $30,705 | $14.76 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $30,214 | $14.53 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $29,650 | $14.25 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $29,561 | $14.21 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $28,901 | $13.89 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $27,948 | $13.44 |
| 12 | Elkhart, IN | $27,456 | $13.20 |
| 13 | Newark, DE | $27,357 | $13.15 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $27,307 | $13.13 |
| 15 | Lafayette, CO | $26,347 | $12.67 |
| 16 | Danville, VA | $26,127 | $12.56 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $25,644 | $12.33 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $25,356 | $12.19 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $25,335 | $12.18 |
| 20 | Lafayette, LA | $25,232 | $12.13 |
Ship Workers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Ship worker salary details
A ship worker's salary ranges from $19,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a ship worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $28,576 | $2,381 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $19,000 | $1,583 | $9 |
Highest paying ship worker jobs
The highest paying types of ship workers are third officer, pilot boat officer, and third mate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mate | $38,913 | $3,243 | $18.71 | 301 |
| Generator Worker | $32,651 | $2,721 | $15.70 | 76,094 |
Top companies hiring ship workers now:
Which companies pay ship workers the most?
Ship worker salaries at Katerra and Columbia University in the City of New York are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average ship worker salary at companies like PSEG and UC Merced are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katerra | $53,577 | $25.76 |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $50,787 | $24.42 |
| 3 | PSEG | $48,493 | $23.31 |
| 4 | UC Merced | $45,202 | $21.73 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley | $44,653 | $21.47 |
| 6 | Armstrong International | $43,705 | $21.01 |
| 7 | Prolifics | $41,511 | $19.96 |
| 8 | UC Santa Barbara | $41,346 | $19.88 |
| 9 | University of California | $41,140 | $19.78 |
| 10 | Bunge | $41,109 | $19.76 |
| 11 | National Grid plc | $40,394 | $19.42 |
| 12 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $40,266 | $19.36 |
| 13 | FedEx | $39,907 | $19.19 |
| 14 | Shipt | $39,322 | $18.90 |
| 15 | Cargill | $38,919 | $18.71 |
| 16 | DATTCO | $38,851 | $18.68 |
| 17 | PPL | $38,369 | $18.45 |
| 18 | University of Washington | $37,852 | $18.20 |
| 19 | Kirby | $37,488 | $18.02 |
| 20 | Harvard University | $37,342 | $17.95 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Ship Worker salary by industry
The average ship worker salary varies across industries:
- The average ship worker salary in the transportation industry is $38,309, the highest of any industry.
- The average ship worker salary in the finance industry is $32,591.
- Ship workers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $28,228, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for ship workers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $38,309 | $18.42 |
| 2 | Technology | $32,591 | $15.67 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $30,356 | $14.59 |
| 4 | Professional | $28,228 | $13.57 |
High paying ship worker jobs
Ship worker salary trends
The average ship worker salary has risen by $4,894 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average ship worker earned $23,682 annually, but today, they earn $28,576 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for ship workers over the last decade.
Compare ship worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average ship worker salary over time
Compare ship worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Ship worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,600 | $13.74 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | $26,800 | $12.89 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | $25,600 | $12.32 | -2.5% |
| 2022 | $26,300 | $12.63 | -2.5% |
| 2021 | $26,900 | $12.95 | -5.6% |
Recently added ship worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peopleready | Installation Worker | Memphis, TN | 06/30/2025 | $33,392 |
| Southwest Florida Water Management District | Tradesworker | Brooksville, FL | 06/30/2025 | $31,722 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Charlotte, NC | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | San Jose, CA | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Portland, OR | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
| Hello Flex Work | Remote Work 3K Month (Spaces ARE Limited) | Seattle, WA | 06/29/2025 | $30,000 |
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