Ordinary Seaman (OS) salary at sea: October 2026
Deck Department
The median monthly salary offered to an Ordinary Seaman (OS) is $1,400. Half of the vacancies offer between $1,250 and $1,600. The typical contract is 5 months. Based on 264 vacancies from 62 companies in July–September 2026.
- Median
- $1,400per month
- Middle half
- $1,250–1,60025th to 75th percentile
- 80% of vacancies
- $1,100–1,85010th to 90th percentile
- Vacancies
- 26462 companies, 01/07–30/09/2026
Contents8
1Pay distribution
How many vacancies offer each amount.
- median $1,400
- middle half, $1,250–1,600
Table
| Monthly pay | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 500–$749 | 0 |
| 750–$999 | 14 |
| 1,000–$1,249 | 52 |
| 1,250–$1,499 | 83 |
| 1,500–$1,749 | 66 |
| 1,750–$1,999 | 29 |
| 2,000–$2,249 | 6 |
| 2,250–$2,499 | 8 |
| 2,500–$2,749 | 3 |
| $2,750 and above | 3 |
2By vessel type
Median and range by vessel type. The vertical line is the rank's median across all vessels. The range is shown from 30 vacancies and 5 companies; otherwise only the median.
- median
- middle half
- median across all vessels, $1,400
| Vessel type | Median | Pay distribution | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical tanker24 vacancies, 15 companies | $1,550 | range: not enough data | |
| General cargo and multipurpose43 vacancies, 17 companies | $1,500 | middle half $1,300–1,800 | |
| Bulk carrier65 vacancies, 24 companies | $1,400 | middle half $1,250–1,500 | |
| Oil tanker93 vacancies, 24 companies | $1,300 | middle half $1,100–1,550 | |
| Container ship13 vacancies, 4 companies | $1,250 | range: not enough data |
Ordinary Seaman (OS): on chemical tankers the median is $1,550, on general cargo and multipurpose vessels $1,500, on bulk carriers $1,400, on oil tankers $1,300, on container ships $1,250.
3By sailing area
The sailing area is stated in only 88 vacancies of 264, so there are few rows. One vacancy can name several areas.
| Sailing area | Median | Pay distribution | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide73 vacancies, 23 companies | $1,550 | middle half $1,300–1,800 |
4Contract length
Share of vacancies by contract length, as stated in the vacancy. The length is stated in 260 vacancies of 264.
5By month
| Month | Median of new vacancies | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | $1,450 | 56 |
| August 2026 | $1,450 | 92 |
| September 2026 | $1,300 | 112 |
Too few vacancies to conclude: one of the months has fewer than 100.
6Related ranks
7Methodology
Vacancies published on Rynda Crewing and open for at least one day in July–September 2026. Each vacancy counts once; the lower bound of the pay range is used; monthly pay only; conversion to US dollars at the rate on the day the vacancy appeared. More on the methodology
According to Rynda Crewing, vacancies for the Ordinary Seaman (OS) rank in July–September 2026 offered a median of $1,400 per month (264 vacancies). https://crewing.rynda.io/en/salaries/2026-10/ordinary-seaman-os
8Questions and answers
What is an Ordinary Seaman (OS) offered on an oil tanker?
The median in vacancies on oil tankers is $1,300 per month (93 vacancies from 24 companies in July–September 2026).
What is the pay range for an Ordinary Seaman (OS)?
Half of the vacancies offer between $1,250 and $1,600 per month; the median is $1,400.
What contract length is typical for an Ordinary Seaman (OS)?
Most often 6 months: stated in 100 vacancies of 260 vacancies that give a length.
Where can I find Ordinary Seaman (OS) vacancies?
Open vacancies for this rank are collected in its Jobs section and updated daily: https://crewing.rynda.io/en/jobs/ordinary-seaman-os
Looking for a job? Open vacancies with pay are in this rank's Jobs section. Create your CV: seafarers don't pay.