When it comes to finding our dream careers, the vast majority of us think about on-land options. After all, there are undeniable benefits to keeping your feet firmly on solid ground, especially when it comes to staying close to family and friends.
But what happens if every on-land career you’ve tried leaves you feeling lacking? Does the monotony of offices always creep up on you? Perhaps a career at sea could be a better option.
Maritime career choices could see you sailing the seas or navigating oil rigs for months at a time. This isn’t the right choice for everyone, but it could well be a path worth pursuing if you like the sound of the following unique benefits of a maritime career.
# 1 – Salaries to Sail Away On
While loving your work is about more than money, let’s not pretend that cash doesn’t feature at all when considering career options. Maritime careers often pay well, and this is true at all levels, with even entry-level positions earning around $30,000.
Trained individuals, or those with experience, can obviously demand more, and the salaries on offer outstrip the vast majority of those on land. This is especially true on locations like oil rigs, where individuals who have qualifications from focuses like underwater welding career training can command anywhere between $80,000-$100,000+.
But maritime salaries really get dizzying once you enter management or high-end roles. Boat pilots can earn between $100,000 and $230,000, while offshore installation managers could earn in excess of $216,000+. Try commanding that kind of cash in the office!
# 2 – Variety is the Spice of Sea Life
Let’s be frank – land-based jobs can be a little monotonous, especially if you choose a career like marketing, where many of your daily tasks will simply repeat. This is a large part of the reason why a lot of people struggle to stick with an on-land career, and it’s something you needn’t ever worry about if you take your work out to sea.
Maritime careers are famed for the variety they offer, especially considering that the vast majority of jobs you complete will be relatively short-term. Whether you’re traveling to new locations or working on a variety of ships or rigs, you can guarantee that no two days will be the same.
# 3 – Lapping up Leave
Most maritime careers also offer incredibly generous leave potential. Admittedly, this may be offset a little by the fact that you’ll have to be away from home for extended periods. When the time for leave comes, however, you may take between 2-6 months at a time as standard. For individuals with the freedom to enjoy this lifestyle, these periods of leave can bring life/work balance within far easier reach than it would be while taking limited weeks off amidst office responsibilities.
Maritime careers aren’t for everyone, but if you think you can make this lifestyle work, then you can easily tap into these top benefits.

