Captain Salary 2026: €4,000 to €23,000 and above a Month
Yacht captain pay in 2026 by yacht length, with the source for every figure.
How much does a yacht captain earn?
A yacht captain earns €4,000 to €23,000 and above a month depending on yacht length, according to 2026 published guides. Figures are monthly base salaries in euros.
Key Facts
- Lighthouse Careers placements: median €13,000 a month (7 placements)
Captain Salary 2026: €4,000 to €23,000 and above a Month
A yacht captain earns €4,000 to €23,000 and above a month depending on the length of the yacht, according to published 2026 guides. The figures are monthly base salaries in euros, before tips, bonuses and rotation uplifts.
Captain salary by yacht length
| Yacht length | Captain |
|---|---|
| Under 30m | €5,000 to €6,000 |
| 30 to 40m | €6,000 to €9,000 |
| 40 to 50m | €8,500 to €12,500 |
| 50 to 60m | €10,000 to €16,000 |
| 60 to 80m | €14,000 to €18,000 |
| 80 to 100m | €16,000 to €23,000 |
| 100m+ | Discretionary |
Source: a published 2026 yacht crew salary guide, which says it is based on live recruitment data and real placements. “No data” means the guide does not list the role at that yacht length.
What affects captain pay
- Yacht length, which is the biggest factor
- Private or charter programme and how many months it runs
- Rotation, where the captain shares the year with a relief captain
- Certificates, experience and owner expectations
Looking for captain work?
See our open captain jobs and register free to be matched to new roles. Pay by role is set out in our 2026 salary report.
Hiring a captain?
Tell us the role and we send a shortlist of vetted candidates within 24 hours. There are no upfront fees. Read how we recruit on our captain recruitment page, or see our yacht crew recruitment page.
Other yacht salary guides
- Chief Officer salary
- First Officer salary
- Second Officer salary
- Bosun salary
- Deckhand salary
- Chief Engineer salary
- Second Engineer salary
- ETO salary
- Purser salary
- Chief Stewardess salary
- Second Stewardess salary
- Stewardess salary
- Yacht Chef salary
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yacht captain earn? €4,000 to €23,000 and above a month, depending on yacht length, according to published 2026 guides.
Does the salary include tips? No. These are base salaries. Tips on charter yachts are separate.
Does pay rise with yacht size? Yes. Larger yachts pay more because of the greater responsibility, guest expectations and crew numbers.