Household & Estate · Manager · 5 to 8 years typical
Dock Master Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 258 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P50 |
|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $120,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $110,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $105,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $105,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $105,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $100,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $100,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $100,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $90,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $85,000 |
Time to fill 5 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
Role often includes tender and small craft maintenance
What does a Dock Master do?
The Dock Master operates within private households, estates, and family residences, reporting to principals or family office leadership. Professionals in this role typically bring 5 to 8 years of relevant experience. Classified at the Manager level, this position draws from a competitive candidate pool, though specialized qualifications and sector-specific experience remain key differentiators in hiring.
What drives Dock Master compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a Dock Master is $85,000. Pay variation for this role is primarily driven by the size and complexity of the estate, number of residences managed, household budget, geographic cost of living, and whether the principal maintains multiple domestic and international properties. Demand is holding stable, with compensation levels expected to track broader market adjustments.
Dock Master career path
Professionals who move into Dock Master roles most commonly come from luxury hospitality, five-star hotel management, property management, or formal service training programs. From this position, the typical trajectory leads toward chief of staff positions, multi-estate oversight, or private family office operations leadership. The average tenure in this role is approximately 2.2 years, with an annual turnover rate of 32%.
Hiring a Dock Master?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.