Ship and hovercraft officers: average salary and pay in the UK
Counting full-time and part-time jobs together, median weekly pay for ship and hovercraft officers was £861.20 in April 2025 (ONS ASHE).
What the figures show
The Annual Population Survey counts 15,300 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | – | £16.48* |
| 30th percentile | – | £16.88* |
| 40th percentile | – | £20.02* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £861.20* | £24.81* |
| Mean | £995.20* | £29.07 |
Pay since 2023
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 revised | £50,865 | – | – | – | – |
| 2024 revised | – | £1,365.10* | £33.94* | – | 8* |
| 2025 provisional | – | – | – | £861.20* | 7* |
Ship and hovercraft officers by region
UK: 15,300 (± 4,800), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What ship and hovercraft officers do
Ship and hovercraft officers command and navigate ships and other craft, co-ordinate the activities of officers and deck and engine room ratings, operate and maintain communications equipment on board ship and undertake minor repairs to engines, boilers and other mechanical and electrical equipment. (ONS SOC 2020, 3512)
Also covers: chief engineer (shipping), marine engineer (shipping), merchant navy officer, petty officer, tug master, yacht skipper, assistant engineer, barge captain, barge master, canal pilot, captain (hovercraft), chief engineer, chief mate, chief officer, dock pilot, dredger captain, electrical officer and electronics officer (82 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Allocates duties to ship’s officers and co-ordinates and directs the activities of deck and engine room ratings
- Directs or undertakes the operation of controls to inflate air cushions, run engines and propel and steer ships, hovercraft and other vessels
- Locates the position of vessel using electronic and other navigational aids such as charts and compasses and advises on navigation where appropriate
- Monitors the operation of engines, generators and other mechanical and electrical equipment and undertakes any necessary minor repairs
- Maintains radio contact with other vessels and coast stations
- Prepares watch keeping rota and maintains a look-out for other vessels or obstacles
Entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades and A levels/H grades. Good colour vision without spectacles or contact lenses is required for some posts and candidates must undergo a medical examination. Training lasts three to four years and combines taught courses and assessed training at sea.
Related
Transport associate professionals (median £76,520*) · Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers · Legal associate professionals · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026