Ordinary Seaman (OS) salary at sea: November 2026
Deck Department
The median monthly salary offered to an Ordinary Seaman (OS) is $1,400. Half of the vacancies offer between $1,200 and $1,600. The typical contract is 5 months. Based on 340 vacancies from 72 companies in August–October 2026.
- Median
- $1,400per month
- Middle half
- $1,200–1,60025th to 75th percentile
- 80% of vacancies
- $1,100–1,80010th to 90th percentile
- Vacancies
- 34072 companies, 1 Aug–31 Oct 2026
Contents8
1Pay distribution
How many vacancies offer each amount.
- median $1,400
- middle half, $1,200–1,600
Table
| Monthly pay | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 500–$749 | 0 |
| 750–$999 | 19 |
| 1,000–$1,249 | 68 |
| 1,250–$1,499 | 99 |
| 1,500–$1,749 | 97 |
| 1,750–$1,999 | 33 |
| 2,000–$2,249 | 10 |
| 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 tanker37 vacancies, 19 companies | $1,500 | middle half $1,300–1,700 | |
| General cargo and multipurpose55 vacancies, 19 companies | $1,450 | middle half $1,300–1,800 | |
| Bulk carrier80 vacancies, 26 companies | $1,350 | middle half $1,250–1,500 | |
| Oil tanker118 vacancies, 25 companies | $1,300 | middle half $1,100–1,550 | |
| Container ship17 vacancies, 5 companies | $1,250 | range: not enough data |
Ordinary Seaman (OS): on chemical tankers the median is $1,500, on general cargo and multipurpose vessels $1,450, on bulk carriers $1,350, on oil tankers $1,300, on container ships $1,250.
3By sailing area
The sailing area is stated in only 103 vacancies of 340, so there are few rows. One vacancy can name several areas.
| Sailing area | Median | Pay distribution | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide83 vacancies, 24 companies | $1,550 | middle half $1,300–1,700 |
4Contract length
Share of vacancies by contract length, as stated in the vacancy. The length is stated in 335 vacancies of 340.
5By month
| Month | Median of new vacancies | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | $1,450 | 92 |
| September 2026 | $1,300 | 112 |
| October 2026 | $1,500 | 78 |
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 August–October 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 August–October 2026 offered a median of $1,400 per month (340 vacancies). https://crewing.rynda.io/en/salaries/2026-11/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 (118 vacancies from 25 companies in August–October 2026).
What is the pay range for an Ordinary Seaman (OS)?
Half of the vacancies offer between $1,200 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 129 vacancies of 335 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.