This year, our 10th annual salary survey made the rounds again, and it provided some helpful insights that you won’t want to miss out on reading. Although it’s been around since Dockwalk began, it’s been 10 years since we launched our first poll to get the numbers directly from crew. In addition to the monthly salary ranges provided by 10 crew agencies, more than 660 captains and crew responded to the online poll at Dockwalk.com. (For more on the numbers and the industry’s employment trends direct from the agents, read Louisa Beckett’s “What’s in Your Wallet?” in the September issue.)
The tables below show both data. The “agency range” shows the average lows and average highs of all ranges provided by the agencies. Following are the online poll results from individual working captains and crew; the “poll range” shows the lowest and highest of all the responses, the “poll average” is calculated from all responses. Note that our figures do not account for longevity and experience, crew benefit packages, tips, or similar extra remuneration.
Not all positions with corresponding boat sizes had enough poll responses to be considered significant; those categories are marked with an asterisk to indicate if fewer than five crew responded in that size range for that position. Several categories had only one response, which is also noted. Large variations in salary ranges could be due to experience.
For 2019, this extended version includes additional crew positions, even if there was only one response, and further breaks down the numbers in the size range below 80 feet and 35 meters and above 180 feet and 60 meters. Please note that crew agencies did not respond in these additional categories.
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Salary Survey 2019
MONTHLY SALARIES IN DOLLARS
| BOAT SIZE | 40–59 feet | 60–79 feet | 80–99 feet | 100–119 feet | 120–139 feet | 140–159 feet | 160–179 feet | 180–199 feet | 200–239 feet | 240–259 feet | 260–279 feet | 280 feet+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | 5,000-8,000 | 5,000-10,000 | 7,000-11,000 | 8,000-14,000 | 10,000-16,000 | 12,000-18,000 | 13,000-20,000 | 16,000-25,000 | 18,000-28,000 | 18,000-28,000 | 18,000-28,000 |
| poll average | 6,500 | 10,636 | 13,707 | 9,689 | 11,228 | 14,956 | 16,047 | 19,496 | 19,310 | 21,667 | ||
| poll range | (one response) | 3,000-72,000 | 6,500-14,000 | 7,500-15,200 | 5,000-15,000 | 7,500-25,750 | 11,000-28,000 | 15,225-25,000 | 12,240-23,000* | 18,000-27,000* | (no response) | (no response) |
| Chief/First Officer | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | 3,500-5,000 | 5,000-6,000 | 5,500-6,500 | 5,500-8,000 | 7,000-9,000 | 7,500-10,000 | 10,000+ | 10,000-11,000+ | 10,000-11,000+ | 10,000-11,000+ |
| poll average | 3,500 | 5,000 | 10,000 | 6,750 | 8,600 | 8,500 | 12,000 | 10,500 | ||||
| poll range | (no response) | (one response) | (no response) | (one response) | (one response) | 6,000-7,750* | 6,600-10,700 | (no response) | 8,500* | (one response) | (no response) | 9,000-12,000* |
| Second Officer | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 4,500 | 5,000-6,000 | 6,000-7,000 | 6,500-7,000+ | 6,000-8,000+ | 8,000-9,000+ | 8,000-9,000+ | 8,000-9,000+ |
| poll average | 7,135 | 6,800 | ||||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 5,000-9,270* | (no response) | (no response) | 6,000-7,600* |
| Chief/First Mate | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | 3,000-4,500 | 4,000-5,500 | 4,500-5,500 | 5,000-6,000 | 6,000-7,000 | 8,000-10,000 | 8,000-10,000 | 8,000-10,000 | (no response) | (no response) |
| poll average | 6,000 | 6,167 | 5,667 | 8,000 | 7,500 | |||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (one response) | (no response) | 4,500-7,000* | 4,500-7,500* | 8,000* | (one response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| Bosun | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | 2,500-3,000 | 3,500-4,500 | 3,500-5,000 | 3,500-5,500 | 4,000-5,500 | 4,000-6,000 | 4,000-6,000 | 5,500-6,000+ | 5,500-6,000+ | 5,500-6,000+ |
| poll average | 5,560 | 5,000 | 5,250 | 6,000 | 3,500 | |||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 4,800-6,500 | (one response) | (no response) | 4,500-6,000* | (no response) | (one response) | (one response) |
| Mate | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | 3,000-4,000 | 4,000-6,000 | 4,500-7,500 | 4,000-7,000 | 5,500-7,500 | 7,000+ | |||||
| poll average | 4,750 | 4,333 | 4,768 | 7,000 | ||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | 4,000-5,500* | 4,000-4,667 | 4,000-7,500 | 6,500-7,500* | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| Deckhand | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | 2,500-2,800 | 2,500-3,500 | 2,500-4,000 | 2,500-4,500 | 3,000-4,500 | 2,800-5,000 | 3,000-5,500 | 3,000-3,800 | 3,000-3,8000 | 3,000-3,8000 | 3,000-3,8000 |
| poll average | 500 | 2,200 | 3,400 | 4,250 | 3,417 | 4,100 | 4,000 | |||||
| poll range | (one response) | (no response) | (no response) | 1,400-3,000* | 2,800-4,000 | 4,000-4,500* | 2,750-4,000* | 4,000-4,200* | 3,500-4,500* | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| Chief/Sole Engineer | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | 3,500-7,500 | 4,500-8,000 | 5,500-9,000 | 6,500-10,000 | 7,000-12,000 | 8,000-13,000 | 10,000-15,000 | 13,000-15,000 | 13,000-15,000 | 13,000-15,000 |
| poll average | 6,063 | 7,250 | 8,114 | 10,583 | 11,300 | 11,420 | 10,672 | 15,050 | ||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | 5,800-6,325* | 7,000-7,500* | 5,900-10,396 | 7,500-14,000 | 6,000-18,000 | 11,400-11,440* | 9,000-12,500 | (no response) | (no response) | 10,000-20,100* |
| Engineer | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| poll average | 6,925 | 10,750 | 6,000 | |||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 6,500-7,350* | 9,500-12,000* | (one response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| Second Engineer | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 3,500-4,500 | 3,500-5,000 | 4,000-4,600 | 4,500-7,000 | 5,500-7,500 | 7,000-9,000+ | 8,000-9,500+ | 8,000-9,500+ | 8,000-9,500+ |
| poll average | 6,500 | 4,500 | 5,500 | 7,000 | ||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) | (no response) | 4,000-7,000* | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 7,000* |
| ETO | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 3,500 | 4,000 | 5,000 | 6,000-6,500 | 6,000-7,500 | 7,000-8,000+ | 8,000-8,500+ | 8,000-8,500+ | 8,000-8,500+ |
| poll average | 4,500 | 13,000 | ||||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 4,500* | (no response) | (no response) | 13,000* |
| Purser | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 3,500-7,000 | 8,000-9,000 | 7,000-10,000+ | 7,000-10,000+ | 7,000-10,000+ |
| poll average | 7,200 | 7,420 | 11,320 | |||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 7,350-7,500* | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) |
| Chief/Solo Stew | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | 3,500 | 3,500-5,500 | 4,000-6,0*0 F0ewer than f4iv,e5 r0es0p-o7,ns0e0s0 | 5,000-8,000 | 5,500-9,000 | 6,000-10,000 | 6,500-12,000+ | 7,000-10,000+ | 7,000-10,000+ | 7,000-10,000+ | |
| poll average | 5,416 | 4,543 | 5,767 | 7,176 | 6,728 | 9,225 | 5,750 | |||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) | 2,200-6,000 | 4,500-6,600 | 4,500-9,414 | 5,500-7,750 | (no response) | 8,500-10,500* | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) |
| Steward/ess | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | 2,500-6,000 | 2,500-5,000 | 2,500-4,000 | 2,800-5,000 | 2,800-6,000 | 2,800-6,000 | 2,800-6,500 | 2,800-7,000 | 2,800-7,000+ | 2,800-7,000+ | 2,800-7,000+ |
| poll average | 5,167 | 4,200 | 4,000 | 4,515 | 3,400 | |||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | 4,500-6,000* | 3,600-5,000* | 4,000* | (one response) | 2,700-4,000* | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| Chef | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | 4,000 | 4,000-7,000 | 5,000-7,000 | 5,000-8,000 | 6,000-9,000 | 7,000-9,000 | 7,500-11,000 | 8,000-12,000 | 9,000-12,000+ | 9,000-12,000+ | 9,000-12,000+ |
| poll average | 4,500 | 4,067 | 5,000 | 6,540 | 7,900 | 14,000 | 11,000 | |||||
| poll range | (no response) | (one response) | 3,000-5,000* | 4,500-5,500* | 5,200-7,000 | 6,000-10,500 | (one response) | 10,000-12,000* | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) |
| Sous/Crew Chef | ||||||||||||
| agency range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | 4,500+ | 4,500-6,000 | 4,500-6,500 | 4,250-7,500 | 5,000-6,000 | 5,000-7,000+ | 5,000-7,000+ | 5,000-7,000+ |
| poll average | 7,800 | 6,000 | ||||||||||
| poll range | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) | (no response) | (no response) | (no response) | (one response) |
| Miscellaneous | Deck/Stew | Cook/Stew | Stew/Cook | Cook/Stew | 2nd Stew | 2nd Stew | ||||||
| agency range | ||||||||||||
| poll average | 1,000 | 5,500 | 4,500 | 4,300 | 6,500 | 4,000 | ||||||
| poll range | (one response) | (one response) | (one response) | (one response) | (one response) | (one response) | ||||||