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Ship engineer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$109,530median pay per year, or $52.66 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $57,870lowest 10% earn less
  2. $82,13025th percentile
  3. $109,530median
  4. $135,76075th percentile
  5. $165,490top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Ship engineers had median pay of $109,530 a year in May 2025, more than double the median for all occupations[1][2]. BLS projects slow growth of 2.7% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.7%[3]
Openings per year
900[5]
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award[6]

How much do ship engineers make?

The median pay for Ship Engineers was $109,530 a year, or $52.66 an hour[1]. Half the workers in this job made more than that and half made less[1]. The average was $111,790 a year, or $53.75 an hour[7].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $57,870, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $165,490[4]. The 25th percentile was $82,130 and the 75th was $135,760[4]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $27.82 and the 90th was $79.56[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not count benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 8,400 people held such jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

BLS published state medians for 24 states[12]. New York had the highest at $133,640, followed by Hawaii at $131,640 and Florida at $130,480[12]. North Carolina had the lowest listed median at $65,010[12].

The most jobs were in Virginia (1,450), Florida (1,260), Washington (730), Texas (660) and California (610)[13]. Virginia's median was $82,370, well below the top states[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, New Orleans-Metairie, LA had the highest median at $132,710[14]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX followed at $131,260, and Jacksonville, FL at $130,600[14]. The metro with the most jobs was Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC with 1,420[15].

Show median pay in 24 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New York[12]$133,640550
Hawaii$131,64070
Florida$130,4801,260
Texas$127,810660
Massachusetts$122,720150
Indiana$122,190210
Kentucky$120,550n/a
Rhode Island$119,33050
Connecticut$119,01050
New Jersey$118,310170
Illinois$115,310110
Washington$107,940730
Louisiana$103,430610
Mississippi$98,380140
South Carolina$97,89080
California$97,660610
Alabama$96,03050
Oregon$88,80080
Alaska$88,190420
Virginia$82,3701,450
Pennsylvania$80,21090
Michigan$79,170100
Maine$77,16030
North Carolina$65,01090

How to become a ship engineer

BLS lists the typical entry education as a postsecondary nondegree award, with less than 5 years of related work experience and no on-the-job training[6]. The details below come from a BLS profile that covers a wider group of water transportation workers, not only ship engineers[16].

Two other routes exist. Employers may prefer a bachelor's degree from a maritime academy[19]. Some workers enter through an apprenticeship that may last several years and combines classroom instruction with paid work aboard a vessel[20]. Finishing one may qualify a person to take the exam for ship engineer or third mate[20]. Academy and apprenticeship graduates gain part of the required experience during their programs[21].

As an example of the climb, a marine oiler needs at least 3 years of experience to become a third engineer[21]. Ships on the open ocean call for Coast Guard-verified STCW training[22]. In an O*NET survey of 17 workers, 48% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required and 24% said a post-secondary certificate[23].

What ship engineers do

O*NET describes the job as supervising the crew that operates and maintains the ship's engines and boilers, deck machinery, and its electrical, sanitary and refrigeration equipment[24]. Tasks include:

Workers report titles such as tugboat engineer, towboat engineer and port engineer[26].

Where they work

The following comes from the wider water transportation profile[16]. Workers usually put in long stretches aboard ships, often away from home, and may face all kinds of weather[27]. Living quarters on most vessels are comfortable, and food may be supplied[28]. Some crews, such as those on barges or deep-sea ships, can be away from home for weeks or months and work on board every day of the week[29]. Some work is seasonal. Great Lakes crews often stop in winter when the lakes freeze[30]. Inland water transportation was the largest employer, at 24% of workers in 2025[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,800 to 9,000 jobs, a gain of 200[3]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[32]. About 900 openings are projected each year[5]. Openings count new jobs and also jobs left by workers who retire or switch to other occupations[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 6.8% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is high compared with all occupations[1][2], but the path takes more than a diploma. It calls for approved training, sea time and Coast Guard credentials[6][17][18]. Growth is projected a little below the all-occupations rate[3][32]. Some crews live aboard and may be away for weeks or months[29]. The data here do not cover training costs or exam details.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a ship engineer make a year?
The median was $109,530 a year in May 2025, and the average was $111,790[1][7].
What education do you need to be a ship engineer?
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related experience[6].
Is ship engineer a growing job?
BLS projects 2.7% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 900 openings a year[3][32][5].
What is the highest paying state for ship engineers?
New York had the highest median at $133,640 a year, followed by Hawaii at $131,640[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Ship Engineers in the US was $109,530 per year and $52.66 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Ship Engineers is projected to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,800 to 9,000 jobs (a change of +200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Ship Engineers: 10th percentile $57,870, 25th percentile $82,130, 75th percentile $135,760, 90th percentile $165,490. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Ship Engineers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Ship Engineers: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Ship Engineers was $111,790 per year and $53.75 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Ship Engineers: 10th percentile $27.82, 25th percentile $39.49, 75th percentile $65.27, 90th percentile $79.56. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 8,400 people were employed as Ship Engineers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Ship Engineers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Ship Engineers jobs: Virginia 1,450; Florida 1,260; Washington 730; Texas 660; California 610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Ship Engineers (areas with at least 100 jobs): New Orleans-Metairie, LA $132,710; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $131,260; Jacksonville, FL $130,600; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $129,700; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $122,820; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $108,900; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $108,770; Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $100,260. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Ship Engineers jobs: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 1,420 (median $82,370); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 650 (median $122,820); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 640 (median $129,700); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 580 (median $108,900); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 520 (median $131,260); Jacksonville, FL 450 (median $130,600). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Water Transportation Workers" covers Ship Engineers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 53-5031.00 survey of workers (17 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 48%, Post-Secondary Certificate 24%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 11%, Bachelor's Degree 8%, Some College Courses 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Ship Engineers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Ship Engineers. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET 53-5031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Barge Engineer, Engineer, Ferry Engineer, Harbor Engineer, Port Engineer, Ship Engineer, Towboat Engineer, Tug Boat Engineer. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of water transportation workers in 2025: Inland water transportation 24%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Ship Engineers: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.