How much does a Ship Engineer make?
The median pay for a Ship Engineer in the United States is $109,530 per year — about $52.66 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $57,870, while the most experienced Ship Engineers in the top 10% earn $165,490.
That is $48,140 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Ship Engineer salary range by percentile
Half of all Ship Engineers earn between $82,130 and $135,760 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $57,870 | $27.82 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $82,130 | $39.49 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $109,530 | $52.66 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $135,760 | $65.27 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $165,490 | $79.56 |
Highest-paying states for Ship Engineer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New York leads the country for Ship Engineer pay at $133,640 a year, followed by Hawaii ($131,640) and Florida ($130,480). At the other end, North Carolina posts the lowest median at $65,010 — a gap of $68,630 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $133,640 | $64.25 | +22% |
| 2 | Hawaii | $131,640 | $63.29 | +20% |
| 3 | Florida | $130,480 | $62.73 | +19% |
| 4 | Texas | $127,810 | $61.45 | +17% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $122,720 | $59.00 | +12% |
Ship Engineer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 24 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 8,000 people work as Ship Engineers in the United States. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other transportation roles with similar pay.