Deckhand salary
Specialised Deckhand: Northrop & Johnson prints US$3,500–4,500 a month at 30–40m and US$4,000–5,500 at 100m+. YPI Crew prints €3,250 a month at 30–40m and €3,800–4,000 at 100m+.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, as printed
Monthly pay as printed in two 2026 crew salary guides, with the leave package from YPI Crew. Each figure links to its guide. The annual column is 12 × the monthly figure (our calculation). Last checked 31 October 2026.
Specialised Deckhand
| Yacht size | Northrop & JohnsonUS$ a month | Northrop & JohnsonUS$ a year | YPI Crew€ a month | YPI CrewLeave |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30–40m | 3,500–4,500 | 42,000–54,000 | 3,250 | 50 days |
| 40–50m | 4,000–5,500 | 48,000–66,000 | 3,800–4,000 | 50–60 days |
| 50–60m | 4,000–5,500 | 48,000–66,000 | 3,800–4,000 | 60-90 days or equal rotation |
| 60–80m | 4,000–5,500 | 48,000–66,000 | 3,800–4,000 | 3:1 rotation |
| 80–100m | 4,000–5,500 | 48,000–66,000 | 3,800–4,000 | 3:1 rotation |
| 100m+ | 4,000–5,500 | 48,000–66,000 | 3,800–4,000 | 3:1 rotation or equal rotation |
Junior Deckhand
| Yacht size | Northrop & JohnsonUS$ a month | Northrop & JohnsonUS$ a year | YPI Crew€ a month | YPI CrewLeave |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30m | 3,500 | 42,000 | 3,000 | 45 days |
| 30–40m | 3,500 | 42,000 | 3,000–3,200 | 45 days |
| 40–50m | 3,500 | 42,000 | 3,000–3,200 | 50–60 days |
| 50–60m | 3,500 | 42,000 | 3,000–3,200 | 60–90 days |
| 60–80m | 3,500 | 42,000 | 2,800–3,000 | 90 days or 3:1 rotation |
| 80–100m | 3,500 | 42,000 | 2,800–3,000 | 3:1 rotation |
| 100m+ | 3,500 | 42,000 | 2,800–3,000 | 3:1 rotation |
- Both guides count tender drivers, carpenters, divers, kite surfers, videographers and photographers as specialised deckhands.
- YPI says its figures are indicative starting ranges. It says rotational pay is generally 10–20% lower a month, and that pressure to offer leave or rotation now starts at 40–50m.
- Sources: Northrop & Johnson, 2026 Yacht Crew Salary Guide (US$) and YPI Crew, Yacht Crew Salary Guide 2026 (€).
Where the two guides disagree
Cells where the numbers differ. YPI's euros are converted to US$ at the European Central Bank euro reference rate of 1.1172 (30 October 2026). The gap compares midpoints. Largest gap first.
| Role | Yacht size | Northrop & JohnsonUS$ a month | YPI Crew€ a month | YPI Crewin US$ | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialised Deckhand | 30–40m | 3,500–4,500 | 3,250 | 3,631 | YPI 9% lower |
| Specialised Deckhand | 40–50m | 4,000–5,500 | 3,800–4,000 | 4,245–4,469 | YPI 8% lower |
| Specialised Deckhand | 50–60m | 4,000–5,500 | 3,800–4,000 | 4,245–4,469 | YPI 8% lower |
| Specialised Deckhand | 60–80m | 4,000–5,500 | 3,800–4,000 | 4,245–4,469 | YPI 8% lower |
| Specialised Deckhand | 80–100m | 4,000–5,500 | 3,800–4,000 | 4,245–4,469 | YPI 8% lower |
| Specialised Deckhand | 100m+ | 4,000–5,500 | 3,800–4,000 | 4,245–4,469 | YPI 8% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | 60–80m | 3,500 | 2,800–3,000 | 3,128–3,352 | YPI 7% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | 80–100m | 3,500 | 2,800–3,000 | 3,128–3,352 | YPI 7% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | 100m+ | 3,500 | 2,800–3,000 | 3,128–3,352 | YPI 7% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | Under 30m | 3,500 | 3,000 | 3,352 | YPI 4% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | 30–40m | 3,500 | 3,000–3,200 | 3,352–3,575 | YPI 1% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | 40–50m | 3,500 | 3,000–3,200 | 3,352–3,575 | YPI 1% lower |
| Junior Deckhand | 50–60m | 3,500 | 3,000–3,200 | 3,352–3,575 | YPI 1% lower |
Gaps of 20% or more are in bold.
Advertised payFrom live job ads
SuperyachtRoles.com shows advertised pay for a position once ads with pay come from ten or more employers, with no one employer over a third of them. This position does not meet that rule yet, so this page uses the two guides.
The roleFrom the crew role guide
Deckhands keep a superyacht's exterior spotless, handle lines and tenders, run water toys and stand watches. It is the usual first job on deck.
