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Ship Engineers: Career Profile
Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
What Do Ship Engineers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of ship engineers span:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top ship engineers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Ship Engineers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Barge Engineer
- Deck Engineer
- Engineer
- Engineering Watch Officer
- Equipment Maintenance Marine Engineer
- Equipment Operating Engineer
- Ferry Engineer
- Fire Boat Engineer
Employment and Demand
There are about 981,150 ship engineers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Ship Engineers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $67,019 |
| Hourly median | $32.22 |
| 10th percentile | $48,541 |
| 25th percentile | $57,780 |
| 75th percentile | $76,259 |
| 90th percentile | $85,498 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Ship Engineers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $170,630 |
| Massachusetts | $136,260 |
| California | $134,660 |
| New York | $131,650 |
| Rhode Island | $123,700 |
| Texas | $122,150 |
| New Jersey | $117,090 |
| Illinois | $111,800 |
| Florida | $110,730 |
| Hawaii | $110,240 |
| Kentucky | $101,700 |
| Tennessee | $101,230 |
| Indiana | $100,000 |
| South Carolina | $99,670 |
| Washington | $96,390 |
| Louisiana | $94,580 |
| Mississippi | $92,150 |
| Oregon | $87,230 |
| Virginia | $81,970 |
| Alaska | $80,180 |
| Alabama | $79,240 |
| Michigan | $71,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,290 |
| North Carolina | $61,050 |
Where Ship Engineers Earn the Most
Earnings for ship engineers vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $132,395 | 1.6% | 0.78 |
| Southwest | $122,150 | 10.4% | 1.12 |
| Middle Atlantic | $112,698 | 14.8% | 1.02 |
| Far Western US | $102,451 | 21.9% | 5.67 |
| Great Lakes | $93,959 | 5.5% | 0.71 |
| Southeast | $93,583 | 45.9% | 4.37 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $147,760 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $143,600 | 130 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $131,650 | 680 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | TX | $130,180 | 690 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $123,840 | 50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $121,970 | 40 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | RI | $116,790 | 50 |
| Jacksonville, FL | FL | $114,750 | 410 |
Which Industries Hire Ship Engineers
Most ship engineers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 5,680 | $104,560 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 250 | $130,380 |
| Construction | 190 | $88,510 |
| Manufacturing | 120 | $80,520 |
| Educational Services | 70 | $98,720 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 40 | $74,140 |
Ship Engineers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for ship engineers reflects the following characteristics:
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
Getting Started in This Career
Typical ship engineers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (Primary-Short)
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Avionics Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Supplemental)
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for ship engineers typically earn programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-5031.00 (Ship Engineers).
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