Ship Captain: career path and pay in the US
Where a Ship Captain goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Third Officer / Deck Cadet to Senior Captain / Fleet Captain / Marine Operations Director.
Also for the United Kingdom: Ship Captain in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Third Officer / Deck Cadet
$140K to $215K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: STCW Basic Safety Training (required) - Global, Officer of the Watch (OOW) Certificate (in progress) - Global.
Step 2 · 2 to 7 years
Second Officer / First Officer
$160K to $240K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Officer of the Watch (OOW) Certificate - Global, STCW Advanced Firefighting - Global, GMDSS Certificate - Global.
Step 3 · 7 to 15 years
Chief Officer / Ship Captain
$170K to $255K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Master Mariner License - Global, STCW Management Level - Global, Port State Control Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 4 · 15+ years
Senior Captain / Fleet Captain / Marine Operations Director
$190K to $285K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Master Mariner License - Global, STCW Management Level - Global, Marine Management Certification (optional) - Global, MBA (optional) - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$140K to $215K → $190K to $285K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. The published figure for Second Officer sat below the previous step, so this band is set 12% above it. The published figure for Senior Captain sat below the previous step, so this band is set 12% above it.
What the work involves
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Knowledge areas
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Geography
Education people bring
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 42%
- Post-Secondary Certificate: 37%
- Bachelor's Degree: 8%
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Maritime Manager
- Port Manager
- Marine Surveyor
- Maritime Consultant
More Transportation/Logistics paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Sailors and Marine Oilers, Motorboat Operators, Ship Engineers, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, Commercial Pilots.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.