Average Ship Engineers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Ship Engineers is $109,530 per year. The middle 50% earn between $82,130 and $135,760, with 8,400 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 24 states and 23 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Ship Engineers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $57,870
- 25th
- $82,130
- Median
- $109,530
- 75th
- $135,760
- 90th
- $165,490
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for ship engineers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +1.6%
- 100 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Ship Engineers earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is New York at $133,640, about 22.0% above the national median. At the metro level, New Orleans-Metairie, LA leads with a median of $132,710.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $133,640 | 550 |
| Hawaii | $131,640 | 70 |
| Florida | $130,480 | 1,260 |
| Texas | $127,810 | 660 |
| Massachusetts | $122,720 | 150 |
| Indiana | $122,190 | 210 |
| Kentucky | $120,550 | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $119,330 | 50 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $132,710 | 230 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $131,640 | 60 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $131,260 | 520 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $130,600 | 450 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $129,700 | 640 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $126,630 | 90 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $122,820 | 650 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $122,090 | 50 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see ship engineers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Ship Engineers rose from $74,610 to $109,530, a gain of +46.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $74,610 would need to be worth $93,955 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $109,530 is $15,575 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +16.6% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 16.6% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +46.8%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +16.6%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Ship Engineers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $109,530
- 2024
- $101,320
- 2023
- $94,270
- 2022
- $87,300
- 2021
- $82,410
- 2020
- $75,990
- 2019
- $74,610
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Sailors And Marine Oilers
- $51,520
- Motorboat Operators
- $47,520
- Commercial Pilots
- $123,220
- Transportation Inspectors
- $92,100
- Subway And Streetcar Operators
- $86,380
- Locomotive Engineers
- $81,410
Common salary questions for Ship Engineers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Ship Engineers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.