What the 2026 Northrop & Johnson guide prints
Northrop & Johnson's 2026 crew salary guide sets junior stew pay at a flat US$3,500 a month in every size band, from under 30m to 100m+. Experienced stews get US$3,500-4,000 on yachts under 30m and US$4,000-5,000 in every band from 30m up.
The second stew line is where size starts to pay. The guide prints US$3,500-4,500 at 30–40m, US$4,500-5,500 at 40–50m, US$5,000-6,000 at 50–60m and US$5,500-6,500 at 60–80m. From 80m upwards it prints 6,500+. Under 30m there is no second stew figure, since small yachts rarely carry one. One detail: the guide's specialist table repeats the junior stew line and shows US$3,000-3,500 under 30m there, so treat the small-yacht junior figure as a range.
How YPI Crew compares, in euros
YPI Crew's 2026 interior guide is priced in euros. It gives a junior stew, meaning up to about a year in the job, €3,000-3,500 a month on any size of yacht, with 60 to 90 days or more of leave. An experienced stew, one to three years in, gets €3,500-4,000 under 30m, €3,000-4,000 at 30–40m, €3,000-4,500 at 40–50m and €3,300-4,500 from 50m up. Leave runs 60 days or more, and 90 days or more from 80m.
YPI explains the higher figure under 30m: on small yachts the experienced stew often works alone as sole stew. Its second stew line starts at 40m with €3,500-5,000, then €4,500-5,500 at 50–60m, €4,500-6,000 at 60–80m, €5,500-6,500 at 80–100m and €6,000+ above 100m. YPI says its numbers are indicative starting salaries. It also says a rotational post usually pays 10 to 20% less a month than the same post without rotation.
What charter tips add
Tips come on charter yachts, at the end of each trip. Boat International says brokers advise guests to tip 5 to 20% of the base charter fee, toward the lower end in the Mediterranean and higher in the US and Caribbean. The Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association guidelines give 5 to 15% as the customary range.
The tip normally goes to the captain in cash, and Boat International says it is then shared equally between all crew. A stew therefore gets the same share as the engineer who was out of sight all week. Neither salary guide adds tips to its figures. How much a season of tips is worth depends on the charter rate, the number of charters and the number of crew sharing, so no fixed monthly figure applies.
What moves your figure
YPI Crew lists the factors beyond length: motor or sail, private or charter use, the cruising schedule, how long you have held the post, any new qualification and any specialist skill. A stew with silver service, wine or housekeeping training has more to argue with than one who only has the basic tickets. Both guides print starting ranges, so the offer on a particular yacht can sit above or below them.
A real advert shows the scale. A second stew post placed by Northrop & Johnson on a 46m private motor yacht in the United States, listed on Yotspot in 2026, offered US$5,000-6,000 a month depending on experience, with 38 days of leave and medical, dental and vision insurance. The yacht is 46m, so it falls in the guide's 40–50m band (US$4,500-5,500), and this offer tops that range.
Pay
USD a month. Figures from the Northrop & Johnson 2026 Yacht Crew Salary Guide, in US dollars a month; YPI Crew 2026 euro figures are compared in the text. Yacht size and experience move the figure, as do charter or private use and rotation. Refer to the stewardess pay page for pay by yacht size.
What you need
- STCW Basic Safety TrainingEvery crew member needs it, stews included. It covers five modules: survival, firefighting, first aid, personal safety and security awareness, and YPI Crew says it is valid for five years before you need a refresher.
- ENG1 or equivalent medicalAn ENG1 is issued by an MCA-approved doctor. Under the UK rules a seafarer medical lasts at most two years for anyone over 18 and one year for anyone under 18.
How to get there
- Year 1Junior stewUS$3,500 a month in the Northrop & Johnson guide, whatever the yacht size. YPI Crew counts this stage as up to about a year.
- Years 1-3Experienced stewUS$4,000-5,000 a month on yachts from 30m, or sole stew on a smaller yacht at US$3,500-4,000.
- After 1-2 years or moreSecond stewRuns the team under the chief stew. Pay climbs with size, from US$3,500-4,500 at 30–40m to US$6,500+ from 80m. A 2026 Northrop & Johnson second stew advert asked for 1-2 years' yachting experience.
Open now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Related pages
Questions people ask
Do bigger yachts pay junior stews more?
Northrop & Johnson's 2026 guide prints the same US$3,500 a month for a junior stew in every size band. YPI Crew does the same in euros, at €3,000-3,500. Size starts to change pay at second stew level and above.
Why is experienced stew pay higher on small yachts in the YPI guide?
YPI Crew says experienced stews on yachts under 30m often work alone as sole stew. That carries the whole interior, so the starting figure there is higher at €3,500-4,000.
How much do tips add for a stewardess?
Boat International says brokers advise guests to tip 5 to 20% of the base charter fee, and the MYBA guidelines give 5 to 15%. The tip goes to the captain and is shared equally among the crew, so the amount depends on the charter rate and crew size.
Does a rotational stew job pay less?
YPI Crew says a rotational post usually pays 10 to 20% less a month than the same post without rotation. In return you get scheduled time off.
Are these figures guaranteed?
No. Both agencies print guide ranges. YPI Crew calls its figures indicative starting salaries, and the yacht's use, its schedule and your experience all move the offer.
Sources
- Northrop & Johnson: 2026 Yacht Crew Salary Guide (US dollars)
- YPI Crew: Superyacht Interior Crew Salary Guide 2026
- YPI Crew: Yacht Crew Salary Guide 2026
- Boat International: superyacht charter tipping guide
- Yotspot: 2nd Steward(ess) job, Northrop and Johnson
- YPI Crew: required qualifications for yacht work
- GOV.UK: MSN 1887 (M) Amendment 1, MLC 2006 medical certification
