Age status

[Meste17]

So what is the average age of a Constitution class starship captain?

[Mikey]

I don’ believe we have the canonical information to rightly determine that.

[Graham Kennedy]

As I recall Kirk became a Captain at age 30, which was considered very young. Just based on that I'd guess the average was somewhere in the mid to late 40s.

For a Human, anyway.

[Meste17]

I tend to agree. At the time, even being 20 something years old by the time of TOS (2260s), it still seems like an awfully top of the line design for just anybody to be one. Hell, the Enterprise herself was one of the first -and most famous- vessels to be a cream of the crop ship. Id guess an average age of 45/46 to be of sufficient age to command said starship.

[Graham Kennedy]

Hmph, I mean to say mid to late 30s there, not mid to late 40s.

Another point to consider - Riker declined his own command to take the XO seat on the E-D in 2364, when he was also 30. He would have equalled Kirk if he'd taken it.

And another - Picard took command of the Stargazer when he was 28. So he actually beat Kirk by 2 years. And even he didn't hold the record, because he told us in Conspiracy that Tryla Scott was the youngest Captain in Starfleet history.

[Teaos]

Well battlefield promotions would be the Captain of the Valiant.

[Talondor]

Hmph, I mean to say mid to late 30s there, not mid to late 40s.

Another point to consider - Riker declined his own command to take the XO seat on the E-D in 2364, when he was also 30. He would have equalled Kirk if he'd taken it.

And another - Picard took command of the Stargazer when he was 28. So he actually beat Kirk by 2 years. And even he didn't hold the record, because he told us in Conspiracy that Tryla Scott was the youngest Captain in Starfleet history.

I do not recall what type of ship the Constellation class is, but I do not think it is a capital ship the way the Constitution class is. So Picard taking command of the Stargazer at 28, a lesser ship, is way different then Kirk, age 30, taking command of the Enterprise, the pride of Starfleet.

I also do not recall the type of ship Riker's first command was going to be, but I do not think they would send a capital ship on a four or five year deep space mission.

I'm not as knowledgeable as others here, but I'm assuming the Constitution class was the best the Federation had to offer at the time. It is not fair to Kirk to compare Picard's and Riker's first command with lesser ships to him taking the Enterprise at the same age.

[Mikey]

You’re comparing apples and stop signs. If you’re asking whose first command was most prestigious, Kirk wins hands down. But if you’re asking who was younger when attaining captaincy, then the numbers are what they are.