Merchant Navy Officer Salary in 2026: Rank-Wise Pay Scale from Cadet to Captain

Merchant Navy offers one of the highest-paying careers after 12th PCM.

Deck/Engine Cadet salary starts around ₹25,000 – ₹60,000 per month.

After certification, 3rd Officer/4th Engineer earn ₹1.2 – ₹2 Lakhs monthly.

2nd Officer/2nd Engineer earn ₹1.5 – ₹3.5 Lakhs per month.

Chief Officer/Senior Engineer earn ₹4 – ₹8 Lakhs monthly.

Chief Engineer earns ₹6 – ₹12 Lakhs per month.

Captain (Master Mariner) earns ₹8 – ₹15 Lakhs+ per month.

Oil tankers and LNG ships pay higher than normal cargo ships.

International shipping companies offer better packages and tax benefits.

With experience, Merchant Navy can become a ₹1 Crore+ yearly career.