Ship Engineers Career, Salary and Skills
Ship Engineers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $109,530 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 8,400. Wage data is published for 47 locations.
Occupation description
Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
O*NET code
53-5031.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$109,530
Hourly median
$52.66
Employment
8,400
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Operation and Control | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Repairing | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Speaking | 3.50 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.38 | 3.38 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
Technology
- Apple macOS
- Computer aided dispatch software
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Damen DAMOS
- Electronic data interchange EDI software
- Kongsberg Maritime K-LOG Electronic Logbooks
- Marine Software Marine Planned Maintenance
- Marine Software Marine Safety Manager
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
Ship Engineers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Ship Engineers Salary in VAMedian $82,370 · Employment 1,450
- Ship Engineers Salary in Virginia Beach, VAMedian $82,370 · Employment 1,420
- Ship Engineers Salary in FLMedian $130,480 · Employment 1,260
- Ship Engineers Salary in WAMedian $107,940 · Employment 730
- Ship Engineers Salary in TXMedian $127,810 · Employment 660
- Ship Engineers Salary in New York, NYMedian $122,820 · Employment 650
- Ship Engineers Salary in Miami, FLMedian $129,700 · Employment 640
- Ship Engineers Salary in CAMedian $97,660 · Employment 610
- Ship Engineers Salary in LAMedian $103,430 · Employment 610
- Ship Engineers Salary in Seattle, WAMedian $108,900 · Employment 580
- Ship Engineers Salary in NYMedian $133,640 · Employment 550
- Ship Engineers Salary in Houston, TXMedian $131,260 · Employment 520
Related careers
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- Power Plant OperatorsNational median $102,040
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except AviationNational median $92,100
- Wellhead PumpersNational median $69,960
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentNational median $74,090
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersNational median $96,710
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansNational median $82,890
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesNational median $65,510
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.