Free 2026 Salary Guide

Free 2026 Salary Guide: Yacht Crew & Private Household Salaries

Know your worth. Get comprehensive industry-standard salary ranges for yacht crew positions (by yacht size) and private household staff (by property type). Based on 300+ real placements from Lighthouse Careers.

Yacht crew: €/month | Household: €/year

Based on 2026 market data from 300+ placements

Yacht Crew Salary Ranges 2026: Complete Guide by Yacht Size

Comprehensive salary data organized by yacht size (24m-100m+). Salaries vary significantly based on vessel size, with larger yachts (70m+) offering higher compensation due to increased responsibilities and guest expectations. All salaries shown in EUR per month. For more information about yacht crew positions, visit our yacht crew recruitment page.

Bridge / Deck

All figures = base salary €/month (2026 realistic hiring ranges). Tips, bonuses, rotation uplifts NOT included. Private & charter baseline market bands.

Yacht Size	Captain	Chief Officer / Mate	Second Officer	Third Officer	Bosun	Deckhand
24–30m	€6,000–€9,500	€3,500–€5,500	—	—	€3,000–€4,200	€2,200–€3,200
30–40m	€7,500–€12,000	€4,200–€6,500	—	—	€3,200–€4,800	€2,300–€3,400
40–50m	€9,000–€14,000	€5,000–€7,500	€3,800–€5,500	—	€3,500–€5,500	€2,400–€3,600
50–70m	€12,000–€18,000	€6,000–€9,000	€4,500–€6,500	—	€4,000–€6,000	€2,700–€4,000
70–80m	€14,000–€20,000	€7,000–€10,000	€5,000–€7,000	€4,000–€5,500	€4,500–€6,500	€3,000–€4,500
80–100m	€16,000–€24,000	€8,000–€12,000	€5,500–€8,000	€4,500–€6,000	€5,000–€7,000	€3,200–€4,800
100m+	€20,000–€30,000	€10,000–€14,000	€6,500–€9,000	€5,000–€7,000	€5,500–€8,000	€3,500–€5,200

Engineering / Technical

Yacht Size	Chief Engineer	Second Engineer	Third Engineer	Motorman	ETO / AV-IT
30–40m	€5,500–€8,000	—	—	—	—
40–50m	€6,000–€9,500	€4,500–€6,000	—	—	—
50–70m	€7,000–€11,000	€5,500–€6,500	—	—	€6,000–€9,000
70–80m	€8,000–€12,000	€6,000–€8,000	€4,000–€5,500	—	€6,500–€10,000
80–100m	€9,000–€14,000	€6,500–€9,000	€4,500–€6,500	€3,500–€5,000	€7,000–€11,000
100m+	€10,000–€16,000	€7,000–€10,000	€5,000–€7,000	€4,000–€5,500	€8,000–€12,500

Interior / Administration

Yacht Size	Chief Stew	Second Stew	Junior Stew	Solo Stew	Purser
24–30m	—	—	—	€3,000–€4,500	—
30–40m	€3,800–€5,500	€3,200–€4,500	€2,400–€3,400	—	—
40–50m	€4,500–€6,500	€3,800–€5,200	€2,600–€3,600	—	—
50–70m	€5,500–€8,000	€4,500–€6,000	€2,800–€4,000	—	€6,000–€8,500
70–80m	€6,500–€9,500	€5,000–€6,500	€3,000–€4,200	—	€7,000–€9,500
80–100m	€7,000–€10,500	€5,500–€7,000	€3,200–€4,500	—	€7,500–€10,500
100m+	€8,000–€12,000	€6,000–€8,000	€3,500–€5,000	—	€8,000–€12,000

Galley

Yacht Size	Head / Exec Chef	Sous Chef	Crew Chef	Chef/Stew
24–30m	—	—	—	€4,000–€6,000
30–40m	€4,500–€6,500	—	—	—
40–50m	€6,000–€7,500	—	—	—
50–70m	€7,500–€10,000	€4,500–€6,500	—	—
70–80m	€8,500–€11,500	€5,500–€7,000	€4,000–€6,000	—
80–100m	€9,000–€12,000	€6,000–€8,000	€4,500–€6,500	—
100m+	€10,000–€14,000	€6,500–€9,000	€5,000–€7,000	—

Private Household & Family Office Salary Ranges 2026: Complete Guide

Comprehensive salary data organized by role category and property/service level. Salaries vary significantly based on residence type (Single Residence, Multi-Property, Large Estate), service level (Standard, High-Profile, Ultra-Luxury), and geographic location. All salaries shown in EUR per year. Learn more about private household staff recruitment.

Note: All figures = base salary per year (EUR, net-to-gross varies by country). Bonuses, housing, cars, schooling not included. Europe / Monaco / Switzerland / UK baseline (US & Middle East usually +15–35%).

Executive & Operations Management

Role	Single Residence	Multi-Property / Global	Family Office / Complex
Estate Manager / House Manager	€120,000–€180,000/year	€160,000–€240,000/year	€200,000–€300,000/year
Director of Residences	—	€200,000–€300,000/year	€250,000–€400,000/year
Chief of Staff (Private Principal)	€180,000–€260,000/year	€220,000–€320,000/year	€300,000–€450,000/year
Family Office COO	—	€220,000–€320,000/year	€280,000–€450,000/year
Lifestyle / Operations Director	€150,000–€220,000/year	€200,000–€300,000/year	€260,000–€400,000/year

Household Leadership & Service

Role	Small Team / Single Home	Large Estate	Multiple Homes
Head Butler	€110,000–€160,000/year	€140,000–€200,000/year	€180,000–€250,000/year
Butler	€80,000–€120,000/year	€100,000–€150,000/year	€130,000–€180,000/year
Household Manager	€90,000–€140,000/year	€120,000–€180,000/year	€160,000–€220,000/year
Senior Housekeeper	€70,000–€110,000/year	€90,000–€140,000/year	€120,000–€160,000/year
Housekeeper	€45,000–€65,000/year	€55,000–€80,000/year	€65,000–€95,000/year

Culinary (Private)

Role	Standard Residence	Formal / Entertaining	Ultra-Luxury
Private Executive Chef	€120,000–€180,000/year	€160,000–€240,000/year	€220,000–€320,000/year
Sous Chef	€80,000–€120,000/year	€100,000–€150,000/year	€140,000–€200,000/year
Kitchen Assistant	€45,000–€65,000/year	€55,000–€80,000/year	€65,000–€95,000/year

Personal Support & Lifestyle

Role	Standard	High-Profile	Global / Travel
Personal Assistant	€70,000–€110,000/year	€110,000–€180,000/year	€180,000–€260,000/year
Executive Assistant	€90,000–€140,000/year	€140,000–€220,000/year	€220,000–€320,000/year
Travel / Lifestyle Manager	€90,000–€140,000/year	€140,000–€220,000/year	€200,000–€300,000/year
Wardrobe Manager	€70,000–€110,000/year	€100,000–€160,000/year	€140,000–€200,000/year

Family, Education & Wellness

Role	Standard	Specialist	Elite / Diplomatic
Nanny	€60,000–€90,000/year	€90,000–€130,000/year	€140,000–€200,000/year
Governess / Tutor	€80,000–€120,000/year	€120,000–€180,000/year	€180,000–€260,000/year
Wellness / PA Hybrid	€80,000–€120,000/year	€120,000–€180,000/year	€160,000–€240,000/year
Private Trainer / Therapist	€70,000–€120,000/year	€120,000–€180,000/year	€180,000–€260,000/year

Transport, Security & Technical

Role	Standard	High-Security	Global / Multi-Asset
Chauffeur	€55,000–€80,000/year	€80,000–€120,000/year	€120,000–€160,000/year
Close Protection Officer	€90,000–€140,000/year	€140,000–€220,000/year	€200,000–€320,000/year
Security Director	—	€180,000–€260,000/year	€250,000–€400,000/year
Head of Security	—	€200,000–€300,000/year	€300,000–€450,000/year
Cyber / Digital Security	€90,000–€140,000/year	€140,000–€220,000/year	€220,000–€320,000/year

Technical, Maintenance & Estate Support

Role	Small Estate	Large Estate	Multi-Estate
Estate Engineer / Maintenance Manager	€70,000–€110,000/year	€110,000–€160,000/year	€150,000–€220,000/year
Grounds Manager	€60,000–€100,000/year	€100,000–€150,000/year	€140,000–€200,000/year
Smart Home / IT Manager	€80,000–€120,000/year	€120,000–€180,000/year	€180,000–€260,000/year
Facilities Manager	€90,000–€140,000/year	€140,000–€200,000/year	€200,000–€300,000/year

2026 Market Reality Adjusters

Add +10–30% when:

Principal is UHNWI / public profile
Role spans yacht + jet + residences
Staff is on-call / live-in / heavy travel
Jurisdiction is US, Monaco, Switzerland, Middle East
Confidentiality, NDAs, or diplomatic sensitivity applies

Key Factors That Affect Salary in 2026

Understanding what influences compensation in yacht crew and private household positions. These factors can significantly impact your earning potential.

Yacht Size

Larger yachts (70m+) typically offer higher salaries due to increased responsibilities and guest expectations.

Location

Mediterranean and Caribbean markets have different salary ranges. Some regions offer higher compensation for seasonal work.

Experience & Certifications

Years of experience, specialized certifications (WSET, MCA licenses), and proven track record significantly impact salary.

Contract Type

Permanent positions often offer better packages than seasonal. Rotational positions may have different structures.

Free Resource

Know Your Worth

Get our comprehensive salary guide for yacht crew and private household staff.

2026 Salary Guide

The latest salary ranges for all positions, from Junior Stew to Captain, and from Nanny to Estate Manager.

Salaries by position and yacht size

Med vs Caribbean market comparison

Negotiation tips from recruiters

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether you're looking for your next role or need to hire exceptional talent, Lighthouse Careers is here to help.

For Candidates

Create your profile and get matched with opportunities that fit your experience and salary expectations.

Create Your Profile →Browse Open Positions →

For Employers

Looking to hire yacht crew or private household staff? Get in touch with our team.

Questions? Call us or send an email

Frequently Asked Questions About 2026 Salaries

Common questions about yacht crew and private household salary ranges.

What salary ranges are included in the 2026 salary guide?

The guide includes comprehensive salary ranges for yacht crew positions (Captain, Officers, Engineers, Stews, Chefs) organized by yacht size (24m-100m+), and private household positions (Estate Managers, Butlers, Chefs, Nannies, etc.) organized by property type and service level. All yacht crew salaries are monthly (€/month), while household salaries are annual (€/year).

Are tips and bonuses included in the salary ranges?

No. All figures represent base salary only. Tips, bonuses, rotation uplifts (for yacht crew), housing, cars, and schooling (for household staff) are NOT included. These are baseline market bands for private and charter positions.

How do yacht sizes affect salary?

Larger yachts (70m+) typically offer significantly higher salaries due to increased responsibilities, guest expectations, and crew size. For example, a Captain on a 24-30m yacht earns €6,000-9,500/month, while on a 100m+ yacht, the range is €20,000-30,000+/month.

What factors can increase household staff salaries?

Add 10-30% for: UHNWI/public profile principals, roles spanning yacht+jet+residences, on-call/live-in/heavy travel positions, US/Monaco/Switzerland/Middle East jurisdictions, or confidentiality/NDA/diplomatic sensitivity requirements.

Are the salary ranges based on real market data?

Yes. All salary ranges are based on 2026 market data from 300+ real placements by Lighthouse Careers, a premier recruitment agency with over 20 years of industry experience.

Do salaries vary by location?

Yes. The guide uses Europe/Monaco/Switzerland/UK as baseline. US and Middle East markets typically offer 15-35% higher salaries. Mediterranean and Caribbean markets also have different salary ranges for seasonal work.

Ready to Find Your Next Role?

Browse open positions or get matched to roles that fit your experience and salary expectations. Lighthouse Careers places 300+ candidates per year in yacht crew and private household positions worldwide.