Maritime Officer.
Salt Lake City.
$80,000
median salary, 2% below the national average
$61,000 to $106,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
If you are evaluating a Maritime Officer offer in Salt Lake City, UT, here is the reality: $61,000 to $106,000, with $80,000 as the midpoint. 2% below the national average. Vessel type, license grade, and trade route determine compensation. Do not accept the first number.
Salary range
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How Salt Lake City compares
Salt Lake City, UT
$80,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$82,000
Salt Lake City is $2,000 below
What you should know
The Maritime Officer landscape in Salt Lake City is not what most salary sites will tell you. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. The region has attracted significant venture investment and tech relocations. Utah's business friendly environment, young educated workforce, and outdoor lifestyle make it a rising destination for tech professionals seeking affordability without sacrificing career growth. Vessel type, license grade, and trade route determine compensation. Officers on tankers and LNG carriers earn premiums over general cargo ships. Deep-sea international routes pay more than coastal or inland assignments, and unionized positions typically offer stronger wage scales.
Third mates and third engineers start at $55,000 to $62,000. Second officers advance to $70,000 to $85,000 with experience and additional endorsements. Chief mates earn $90,000 to $108,000, while masters and chief engineers on large vessels can reach $120,000 to $160,000. In Salt Lake City, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Maritime officers receive room and board while aboard, which effectively increases total compensation by $15,000 to $25,000 annually. Union contracts often include pension contributions, medical coverage, and paid leave rotations of equal time on and off. And on the tax side: utah has a flat 4.65% state income tax. Salt Lake City imposes no additional city income tax. The moderate rate combined with affordable living costs results in strong net compensation. When someone quotes you $80,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent. The range for Maritime Officers in Salt Lake City runs from $61,000 to $106,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Salt Lake City
Negotiating in Salt Lake City
Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent.