53 Series · SOC 53-5031
Ship Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $109,530
- Median / year
- $165,490
- Top 10% earn
- +1.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 8,400
- US workers
Ship Engineers earn a median of $109,530 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $109,530, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $57,870 (10th percentile) to $165,490 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 8,400 US workers. New York pays the most ($133,640), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Ship Engineers earn a median of $109,530, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 88% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #4 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.6% by 2033.
- $109,530
- Median annual wage
- Top 12%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #4 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 2.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $133,640. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Ship Engineers (SOC 53-5031) pays a national median of $109,530 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $57,870 at the 10th percentile to $165,490 at the 90th, with a mean of $111,790 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 8,400 Americans work in this occupation across 25 reporting states and 26 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Postsecondary nondegree award, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $133,640, which is +22% above the national figure. The top metro is New Orleans-Metairie, LA at $132,710 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$109,530
per year
Median Hourly
$52.66/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$111,790
average
Employment
8,400
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Ship Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$109,530 Top 12% higher than 88% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Ship Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Ship Engineers sits on the slower-growing side at +1.6% growth and $109,530 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.6%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Ship Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
- ▸ Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.
- ▸ Monitor and test operations of engines or other equipment so that malfunctions and their causes can be identified.
- ▸ Start engines to propel ships, and regulate engines and power transmissions to control speeds of ships, according to directions from captains or bridge computers.
- ▸ Perform or participate in emergency drills, as required.
- ▸ Perform general marine vessel maintenance or repair work, such as repairing leaks, finishing interiors, refueling, or maintaining decks.
- ▸ Maintain or repair engines, electric motors, pumps, winches, or other mechanical or electrical equipment, or assist other crew members with maintenance or repair duties.
- ▸ Maintain complete records of engineering department activities, including machine operations.
- ▸ Operate or maintain off-loading liquid pumps or valves.
- ▸ Maintain electrical power, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, water, or sewerage systems.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$57,870
25th Percentile
$82,130
Median
$109,530
75th Percentile
$135,760
90th Percentile
$165,490
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 25 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $133,640 | +22% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $131,640 | +20% above national |
| 3 | Florida | $130,480 | +19% above national |
| 4 | Texas | $127,810 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $122,720 | +12% above national |
| 6 | Indiana | $122,190 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Kentucky | $120,550 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $119,330 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Connecticut | $119,010 | +9% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $118,310 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Illinois | $115,310 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Washington | $107,940 | 1% below national |
| 13 | Louisiana | $103,430 | 6% below national |
| 14 | Mississippi | $98,380 | 10% below national |
| 15 | South Carolina | $97,890 | 11% below national |
| 16 | California | $97,660 | 11% below national |
| 17 | Alabama | $96,030 | 12% below national |
| 18 | Oregon | $88,800 | 19% below national |
| 19 | Alaska | $88,190 | 19% below national |
| 20 | Virginia | $82,370 | 25% below national |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $80,210 | 27% below national |
| 22 | Michigan | $79,170 | 28% below national |
| 23 | Maine | $77,160 | 30% below national |
| 24 | North Carolina | $65,010 | 41% below national |
| 25 | Puerto Rico | $40,080 | 63% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 26 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $132,710 | +21% above national |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $131,640 | +20% above national |
| 3 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $131,260 | +20% above national |
| 4 | Jacksonville, FL | $130,600 | +19% above national |
| 5 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $129,700 | +18% above national |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $126,630 | +16% above national |
| 7 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $122,820 | +12% above national |
| 8 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $122,090 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $119,330 | +9% above national |
| 10 | Anchorage, AK | $109,990 | same as national |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $108,900 | 1% below national |
| 12 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $108,770 | 1% below national |
| 13 | Corpus Christi, TX | $108,530 | 1% below national |
| 14 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $103,580 | 5% below national |
| 15 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $100,260 | 8% below national |
| 16 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $98,450 | 10% below national |
| 17 | Mobile, AL | $95,540 | 13% below national |
| 18 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $93,980 | 14% below national |
| 19 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $88,800 | 19% below national |
| 20 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $88,190 | 19% below national |
| 21 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $85,310 | 22% below national |
| 22 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $84,630 | 23% below national |
| 23 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $82,370 | 25% below national |
| 24 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $77,770 | 29% below national |
| 25 | Pittsburgh, PA | $73,550 | 33% below national |
| 26 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $62,880 | 43% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Ship Engineers make? ▼
What state pays Ship Engineers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Ship Engineers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Ship Engineers? ▼
Is Ship Engineers a good career? ▼
How does Ship Engineers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Ship Engineers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Ship Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $135,760/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $133,640/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.