Salary Guide
Captain salary worldwide
Median compensation for captains sits at $180k, with experienced maritime professionals earning up to $252k at leading shipowners, premium ship managers, and major offshore operators.
Low
$130k
entry / emerging markets
Median
$180k
global average
High
$252k
experienced / metro
Demand
96/100
+13% YoY
What drives compensation
Captain compensation typically falls between $130k and $252k, with experienced captains in the global maritime market commanding $252k+ at leading shipowners, managers, ports, cruise operators, and offshore players. Total compensation often includes leave pay, travel, joining bonuses, performance pay, and ship-type or DP allowances.
Hiring outlook
Demand for captains in the global maritime market is exceptionally strong. Maritime employers report a 13% year-on-year increase in Captain mandates, driven by global fleet renewal, expansion of LNG and container tonnage, and shortage of senior deck officers.
Captain salary by city
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Dubai · United Arab Emirates | $234k |
| Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates | $230k |
| Fujairah · United Arab Emirates | $189k |
| Doha · Qatar | $234k |
| Ras Laffan · Qatar | $198k |
| Dammam · Saudi Arabia | $198k |
| Jeddah · Saudi Arabia | $198k |
| Muscat · Oman | $189k |
| Manama · Bahrain | $198k |
| Singapore · Singapore | $256k |
| Hong Kong · Hong Kong SAR | $261k |
| Shanghai · China | $198k |
| Shenzhen · China | $194k |
| Ningbo · China | $180k |
| Qingdao · China | $171k |
| Busan · South Korea | $207k |
| Ulsan · South Korea | $207k |
| Yokohama · Japan | $225k |
| Tokyo · Japan | $234k |
| Kaohsiung · Taiwan | $184k |
| Manila · Philippines | $130k |
| Cebu · Philippines | $117k |
| Jakarta · Indonesia | $140k |
| Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam | $130k |
| Port Klang · Malaysia | $158k |
| Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia | $158k |
| Bangkok · Thailand | $148k |
| Mumbai · India | $99.0k |
| Chennai · India | $86.4k |
| Kochi · India | $81.0k |
| Visakhapatnam · India | $81.0k |
| Kolkata · India | $75.6k |
| Mundra · India | $90.0k |
| Delhi · India | $99.0k |
| Rotterdam · Netherlands | $230k |
| Amsterdam · Netherlands | $230k |
| Antwerp · Belgium | $220k |
| Hamburg · Germany | $212k |
| Bremen · Germany | $207k |
| Felixstowe · United Kingdom | $189k |
| London · United Kingdom | $256k |
| Southampton · United Kingdom | $198k |
| Aberdeen · United Kingdom | $212k |
| Piraeus · Greece | $171k |
| Athens · Greece | $171k |
| Limassol · Cyprus | $189k |
| Marseille · France | $198k |
| Le Havre · France | $198k |
| Barcelona · Spain | $189k |
| Valencia · Spain | $180k |
| Algeciras · Spain | $171k |
| Genoa · Italy | $198k |
| Naples · Italy | $180k |
| Oslo · Norway | $261k |
| Bergen · Norway | $252k |
| Stavanger · Norway | $252k |
| Copenhagen · Denmark | $234k |
| Aarhus · Denmark | $220k |
| Istanbul · Turkey | $158k |
| New York · United States | $261k |
| Houston · United States | $198k |
| Los Angeles · United States | $234k |
| Long Beach · United States | $230k |
| Seattle · United States | $238k |
| Miami · United States | $212k |
| New Orleans · United States | $180k |
| Norfolk · United States | $189k |
| Vancouver · Canada | $230k |
| Montreal · Canada | $198k |
| Halifax · Canada | $189k |
| Santos · Brazil | $140k |
| Rio de Janeiro · Brazil | $140k |
| Sydney · Australia | $243k |
| Melbourne · Australia | $234k |
| Fremantle · Australia | $225k |
| Auckland · New Zealand | $216k |
| Cape Town · South Africa | $122k |
| Durban · South Africa | $117k |
For Shipowners, Ports & Maritime Employers
Hire captains on CosmoQuick
Related maritime salaries
Frequently Asked Questions
The median salary for a Captain in the global maritime market is around $180k, typically ranging from $130k to $252k based on rank, sea-time, type experience, and the maritime employer.