How to become 船員education, training, experience, licenses and the steps to enter
Average annual pay
¥4.70M
≈ $29,896
Top pay (est.)
¥7.85M
Top 10% ¥6.80M
Pay in 5 years
¥5.24Mest.
2031
Pay in 10 years
¥5.83Mest.
¥5.01M–¥6.77M
Outlook score
45/100
★★☆☆☆ Average
AI replacement risk
35%
Low
Labor demand
Low
Openings-to-applicants 0.73x
How to become 船員
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
甲板員や機関員になるには、水産高校等を卒業して海技士免許を取得してから、船舶を所有している会社などに入職するのが一般的である。働きながら乗船履歴の要件を満たし、航海士や機関士などの国家資格取得を目指すこともある。
厳しい自然環境と不規則な労働に耐えられる体力と忍耐力が求められる。また、船は船長を中心とする運命共同体であるため、秩序を重んじ、船内の規律を守ることが厳しく要求される。航海士・機関士になった場合には、船長を助け、自らを律し、甲板員、機関員を直接指揮してチームワークを作り上げるリーダーシップが求められる。
厳しい自然環境と不規則な労働に耐えられる体力と忍耐力が求められる。また、船は船長を中心とする運命共同体であるため、秩序を重んじ、船内の規律を守ることが厳しく要求される。航海士・機関士になった場合には、船長を助け、自らを律し、甲板員、機関員を直接指揮してチームワークを作り上げるリーダーシップが求められる。
Skills, education and requirements for 船員
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesGetting InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- 海技士免許（航海・機関・通信） National license
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience, licenses)
Career path and how to earn more as 船員
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.
Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), Population Census and Hello Work employment statistics as published on the MHLW job tag site (retrieved Nov 1, 2026); Occupational Information Database (JILPT). Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.