Ship Captain (Merchant Marine)
Command commercial ships on coastal and ocean routes
About the profession
Ship captains run commercial vessels — tankers, container ships, tugs — responsible for cargo, crew, and operations across weeks at sea and port rotations around the world.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Ship Captain (Merchant Marine) fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
Jump to Career Path →Start learning — check the Learning Path for free courses
Jump to Learning Path →Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Third Mate → Second Mate → Chief Mate → Master (Captain)
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
250K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $80,000 - $123,000/year With equity/bonuses: $88,000 - $147,600 Top markets (SF/NYC): $92,000 - $148,000 Execute core tasks using Navigation…
Day in Life
Junior vs Senior — daily schedule breakdown
9am — Review priorities and respond to urgent items 10am — Team standup and progress check 11am — Deep work using Navigation 1pm — Cross-functional meeting with stakeholders 3pm —…
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $56,000 - $72,000 Year 2-3: Junior level $80,000 - $121,500 Year 4-6: Mid level $121,500 - $173,500 Year 7-10: Senior level $173,500 - $224,500 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions — answer honestly
You find the craft of a Ship Captain (Merchant Marine) genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Navigation and Crew management You communicate clearly…
💰 Salary Range
US dataSign up to see salary data
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