Bottom quarter
$131K
Vessel Captain (Tug & Towing) Salary in San Francisco
What you should make. What you should ask for. Calculated from 1M+ data points, refreshed monthly.
Median
$163K
Top quarter
$200K
Top 10%
$235K
Adjusted for San Francisco at 1.25× the national baseline. See the math →
What this number means.
Vessel Captain (Tug & Towing) in San Francisco pulls a median of $162,500 at mid-career, with a top-quartile band reaching $200,000 and the top 10% at $235,000. The San Francisco adjustment moves the band 25% above the national baseline. If you're up for review, the right ask sits at the top quarter of the band: $200,000.
How to negotiate this
- Anchor$200,000 — the top-quartile number. This is the number you say first.
- Target$181,250 — where a fair counter lands. Above the median, below the anchor.
- Floor$162,500 — below this, you're underpaid. Walking away gets cheaper than staying.
Carry the math. Not the maybe.
AMMO is the corner man for the conversation that decides your year. Real pay data, an offer grader, and counter language drafted from your numbers. Get on the list before iOS launch.
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Vessel Captain (Tug & Towing) elsewhere
Adjacent metros
Read how these numbers are computed →
Numbers are estimates. Your offer depends on the company, the level, the stock piece, and the conversation you're about to have. AMMO is a tool. You are the negotiator.