Ship Captain
Command vessels navigating oceans for trade, transport, and exploration
About the profession
Ship Captains command commercial vessels transporting cargo and passengers across the world's oceans. They are responsible for navigation, crew safety, cargo operations, and regulatory compliance. The career offers adventure, competitive compensation (especially for tanker and container ship captains), and extended time off between voyages.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Ship Captain 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 →Personality Fit
Based on the Ship Captain role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Enterprising
Leading, persuading, business
Social
Helping, teaching, working with people
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Deck Cadet → Third Officer → Chief Officer → Ship Captain → Fleet Captain
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
5
Levels
$200K
Top Salary
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
Base: $40,000 - $52,000/year Base: $55,000 - $72,000/year Base: $80,000 - $110,000/year Base: $110,000 - $150,000/year Base: $150,000 - $200,000/year
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Learning Path 0 → Junior
Step-by-step plan from zero to first job
Attend maritime academy and earn USCG/STCW credentials Complete sea time requirements as deck cadet Pass officer license examinations Build sea time and upgrade through officer…
Market 2026–2030
Trends, AI impact, prospects
Growth Rate: Average through 2030 Remote Trend: Primarily on-site, vessel command required Top Industries: Container shipping, tanker companies, cruise lines, government…
💰 Pay for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
BLS OEWS, May 2023The federal survey does not count this job title on its own — it is counted under Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (53-5021).
Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Create Free Account🎯 Is Ship Captain right for you?
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types