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Cadet salary
Average cadet salary
$41,427
How much does a cadet make?
The average cadet salary in the United States is $41,427. Cadet salaries typically range between $26,000 and $64,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for cadets is $19.92 per hour.
Cadet salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Cadets earn the highest average salary in New Jersey.
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Where can a Cadet earn more?
Cadet salary estimates from across the web
Average cadet salary by state
The average cadet salary in New Jersey, Delaware, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cadet salary states are Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Nebraska.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for cadets
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $64,888 | $31.20 |
| 2 | Maryland | $63,895 | $30.72 |
| 3 | New York | $63,913 | $30.73 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $63,793 | $30.67 |
| 5 | Delaware | $64,427 | $30.97 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $60,236 | $28.96 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $56,877 | $27.34 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $49,666 | $23.88 |
| 9 | Virginia | $52,810 | $25.39 |
| 10 | Nevada | $50,070 | $24.07 |
| 11 | Illinois | $54,937 | $26.41 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $54,166 | $26.04 |
| 13 | Iowa | $51,550 | $24.78 |
| 14 | Ohio | $50,059 | $24.07 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $44,511 | $21.40 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $47,166 | $22.68 |
| 17 | Michigan | $44,895 | $21.58 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $49,505 | $23.80 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $51,005 | $24.52 |
| 20 | Montana | $42,846 | $20.60 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $44,549 | $21.42 |
| 22 | Kansas | $47,860 | $23.01 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $39,592 | $19.03 |
| 24 | Arizona | $41,597 | $20.00 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $43,326 | $20.83 |
| 26 | Vermont | $48,035 | $23.09 |
| 27 | Washington | $42,496 | $20.43 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $44,214 | $21.26 |
| 29 | Texas | $41,039 | $19.73 |
| 30 | Idaho | $39,017 | $18.76 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $43,724 | $21.02 |
| 32 | Alaska | $40,335 | $19.39 |
| 33 | Alabama | $40,730 | $19.58 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $37,328 | $17.95 |
| 35 | Florida | $39,438 | $18.96 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $40,165 | $19.31 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $44,685 | $21.48 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $38,006 | $18.27 |
| 39 | California | $39,412 | $18.95 |
| 40 | Georgia | $38,565 | $18.54 |
| 41 | Indiana | $39,338 | $18.91 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $36,546 | $17.57 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $38,811 | $18.66 |
| 44 | Maine | $38,941 | $18.72 |
| 45 | Utah | $34,219 | $16.45 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $36,930 | $17.75 |
| 47 | Oregon | $39,797 | $19.13 |
| 48 | Missouri | $34,937 | $16.80 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $35,342 | $16.99 |
| 50 | Colorado | $33,958 | $16.33 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $35,754 | $17.19 |
Highest paying cities for cadets
The highest-paying cities for cadets are Baltimore, MD, Peoria, IL, and Port Huron, MI.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $64,058 | $30.80 |
| 2 | Peoria, IL | $52,040 | $25.02 |
| 3 | Port Huron, MI | $44,787 | $21.53 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $44,646 | $21.46 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $42,731 | $20.54 |
| 6 | McAllen, TX | $42,562 | $20.46 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| 8 | Oakland, CA | $41,354 | $19.88 |
| 9 | Miami, FL | $39,501 | $18.99 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $39,041 | $18.77 |
| 11 | Chattanooga, TN | $38,287 | $18.41 |
| 12 | Hobbs, NM | $38,179 | $18.36 |
| 13 | Stillwater, OK | $36,370 | $17.49 |
| 14 | West Jordan, UT | $34,140 | $16.41 |
Cadet salary details
A cadet's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cadet's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $41,427 | $3,452 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying cadet jobs
The highest paying types of cadets are deck cadet, deck seaman, and merchant marine.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosun | $52,884 | $4,407 | $25.43 | 143 |
| Able Bodied Seaman | $54,062 | $4,505 | $25.99 | 422 |
| Ordinary Seaman | $52,664 | $4,389 | $25.32 | 169 |
| Tankerman | $52,133 | $4,344 | $25.06 | 459 |
| Deckhand | $56,163 | $4,680 | $27.00 | 500 |
| Captain | $52,161 | $4,347 | $25.08 | 4,430 |
Which companies pay cadets the most?
Cadet salaries at University of Houston-Clear Lake and Advantage Sales & Marketing are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cadet salary at companies like Carnival Cruise Line and Advantage Solutions are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $72,219 | $34.72 |
| 2 | Advantage Sales & Marketing | $42,357 | $20.36 |
| 3 | Carnival Cruise Line | $41,872 | $20.13 |
| 4 | Advantage Solutions | $41,481 | $19.94 |
| 5 | Centerline Logistics | $40,046 | $19.25 |
| 6 | City of Round Rock | $39,722 | $19.10 |
| 7 | The GEO Group | $38,029 | $18.28 |
| 8 | AMIkids | $37,851 | $18.20 |
| 9 | Best Buy | $37,658 | $18.10 |
| 10 | Tennessee Valley Authority | $36,795 | $17.69 |
| 11 | PSA Airlines | $36,615 | $17.60 |
| 12 | Mesa Airlines | $35,213 | $16.93 |
| 13 | Kelly Services | $35,055 | $16.85 |
| 14 | Adams County Government Center | $34,296 | $16.49 |
| 15 | Escambia County Sheriff's Office | $33,081 | $15.90 |
| 16 | Indiana State Police | $31,312 | $15.05 |
| 17 | St. Clair County Community Mental Health | $28,258 | $13.59 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cadet salary trends
The average cadet salary has risen by $7,488 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cadet earned $33,939 annually, but today, they earn $41,427 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for cadets over the last decade.
Compare cadet salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cadet salary over time
Compare cadet salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Cadet salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,400 | $19.92 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $40,100 | $19.28 | +5.9% |
| 2023 | $37,700 | $18.13 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | $37,600 | $18.06 | -3.3% |
| 2021 | $38,800 | $18.65 | +1.9% |
Recently added cadet salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Vincent's Health Australia Limited | Mental Health Cadet | Friendly, MD | 12/16/2024 | $60,481 |
| Wilmington University | University Safety Cadet | New Castle, DE | 12/13/2024 | $31,305 |
| City of San Antonio, Tx | Animal Care Cadet | San Antonio, TX | 12/10/2024 | $37,566 |
| County of Redwood | Cadet | Redwood Falls, MN | 12/04/2024 | $39,048 |
| Harris County Esd No 7 | Cadet | Spring, TX | 11/26/2024 | $61,807 |
| Texas Division of Emergency Management | Tdem Emergency Management Academy Cadet | San Antonio, TX | 11/20/2024 | $48,189 |
| City of Las Cruces, Nm | Fire Cadet (Non-Certified) | Las Cruces, NM | 10/31/2024 | $45,136 |
| Wapartnership | Cadet-Sheriff's Office | Ione, OR | 10/24/2024 | $34,623 |
| City of St. Petersburg, Fl | ST. Pete Cadet (Mayor's Future Ready Academy) | Saint Petersburg, FL | 10/22/2024 | $34,540 |
| Mobile County (Al | Corrections Cadet | Mobile, AL | 10/21/2024 | $34,886 |
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