Superyacht Crew Salary Guide 2026
Typical monthly base salaries by rank, across deck, interior, galley and engineering. These are broad, approximate ranges pulled together from current industry sources — actual pay varies a lot by yacht size, itinerary, rotation and individual experience, so use this as a starting point for negotiation, not a quote.
Deck department
| Rank | Typical Monthly Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Deckhand | €2,300 – €3,500 | Entry-level with STCW + ENG1, little or no prior experience. |
| Deckhand (Watersports) | €2,800 – €4,500 | A general deckhand plus instructor tickets — found mainly on 90m+ yachts. |
| Bosun | €3,500 – €6,000 | Several seasons of deck experience running the daily programme. |
| Carpenter | €3,500 – €5,500 | A trade specialist on the deck team, found mainly on 100m+ yachts. |
| 2nd / 3rd Officer | €4,000 – €6,500 | Requires an Officer of the Watch (OOW) certificate of competence. |
| Chief Officer | €6,500 – €9,500 | Senior deck management, second-in-command to the captain. |
| Captain | €9,000 – €20,000+ | Varies hugely with yacht size — small private yachts to 80m+ charter programmes. |
Interior department
| Rank | Typical Monthly Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Housekeeper | €2,300 – €3,000 | Cleaning and presentation only, without the guest-service side of the job. |
| Junior Stewardess / Steward | €2,300 – €3,200 | Entry-level; hospitality or hotel experience is a strong asset. |
| 2nd Stewardess / Steward | €3,000 – €4,200 | A season or two of interior experience, often with service or wine training. |
| Head Housekeeper | €3,500 – €5,000 | Runs the housekeeping team on yachts large enough to have one. |
| Chief Stewardess / Purser | €4,500 – €8,000+ | Runs the whole interior department; pay scales with yacht size and guest programme. |
| Spa Manager | €4,000 – €7,000 | Requires recognised therapy qualifications; found on yachts with a dedicated spa. |
Galley department
| Rank | Typical Monthly Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Chef / Sous Chef | €3,200 – €5,500 | Culinary training or professional kitchen experience expected. |
| Head Chef | €5,500 – €9,000+ | Full responsibility for guest and crew menus; tips can add significantly on charter yachts. |
Engineering department
| Rank | Typical Monthly Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Engineer | €4,500 – €7,000 | Found mainly on larger yachts carrying a dedicated engineering department. |
| AV/IT Officer | €4,000 – €7,000 | Guest-facing AV and IT systems specifically, sometimes split from the ETO role. |
| ETO | €4,500 – €8,000 | Electro-technical officer — navigation, communications and IT systems. |
| ETO/AVIT (Dual Role) | €5,500 – €8,500 | One person covering both roles — standard on 60–90m yachts. |
| Chief Engineer | €7,000 – €13,000+ | Among the highest-paid crew positions, especially on technically complex yachts. |
What's on top of salary
- Accommodation and food aboard, almost always covered in full
- Tips on charter yachts — commonly around 10% of the charter fee, shared among crew
- Flights to and from the yacht at the start/end of contract, on most programmes
- Very low living costs while on contract, since most day-to-day expenses are covered
Do these figures include tips?
No — the ranges above are base salary only. On charter yachts, tips (commonly around 10% of the charter fee, split between crew) are on top and can add substantially to take-home pay, especially for deck, interior and galley crew on busy charter programmes.
Is accommodation and food included?
Yes, almost always. Crew live aboard and meals are provided, which is a large part of why yachting salaries go further than the headline number suggests — most crew have very low living costs while on contract.
Why is there such a wide range for each rank?
Yacht size is the biggest factor — a deckhand on a 40m yacht and a deckhand on a 90m yacht are different jobs. Programme intensity (private vs. heavy charter), rotation vs. straight contracts, region and individual experience all move pay within each band too.
Get the certificates that get you hired
Pay starts with getting hired at all — STCW Basic Safety Training and an ENG1 medical are non-negotiable for every rank on this page.