Ship Engineers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for ship engineerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Michigan$72,960
- North Carolina$75,020
- Maine$77,230
- Pennsylvania$87,950
- Virginia$91,810
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $139,700 | $131,640 | $67 | +25% | 70 |
| 2 | Louisiana | $132,290 | $103,430 | $64 | +18.3% | 610 |
| 3 | New York | $126,300 | $133,640 | $61 | +13% | 550 |
| 4 | Texas | $123,260 | $127,810 | $59 | +10.3% | 660 |
| 5 | Florida | $122,470 | $130,480 | $59 | +9.6% | 1,260 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $121,160 | $119,330 | $58 | +8.4% | 50 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $120,690 | $122,720 | $58 | +8% | 150 |
| 8 | Indiana | $118,250 | $122,190 | $57 | +5.8% | 210 |
| 9 | California | $117,530 | $97,660 | $57 | +5.1% | 610 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $114,730 | $120,550 | $55 | +2.6% | — |
| 11 | New Jersey | $114,470 | $118,310 | $55 | +2.4% | 170 |
| 12 | Washington | $111,020 | $107,940 | $53 | -0.7% | 730 |
| 13 | Illinois | $103,420 | $115,310 | $50 | -7.5% | 110 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $103,180 | $119,010 | $50 | -7.7% | 50 |
| 15 | Oregon | $100,200 | $88,800 | $48 | -10.4% | 80 |
| 16 | Alabama | $98,940 | $96,030 | $48 | -11.5% | 50 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $96,910 | $98,380 | $47 | -13.3% | 140 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $95,810 | $97,890 | $46 | -14.3% | 80 |
| 19 | Alaska | $92,380 | $88,190 | $44 | -17.4% | 420 |
| 20 | Virginia | $91,810 | $82,370 | $44 | -17.9% | 1,450 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $87,950 | $80,210 | $42 | -21.3% | 90 |
| 22 | Maine | $77,230 | $77,160 | $37 | -30.9% | 30 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $75,020 | $65,010 | $36 | -32.9% | 90 |
| 24 | Michigan | $72,960 | $79,170 | $35 | -34.7% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 27 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $132,710 | $151,960 | 230 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $131,640 | $135,380 | 60 |
| 3 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $131,260 | $127,070 | 520 |
| 4 | Jacksonville, FL | $130,600 | $124,210 | 450 |
| 5 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $129,700 | $121,780 | 640 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $126,630 | $124,760 | 90 |
| 7 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $122,820 | $126,400 | 650 |
| 8 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $122,090 | $113,840 | 50 |
| 9 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $119,330 | $117,700 | 50 |
| 10 | Anchorage, AK | $109,990 | $111,710 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing ship engineerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $160,670 | $137,420 | 260 |
| 2 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $160,670 | $137,420 | 260 |
| 3 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $160,670 | $137,420 | 260 |
| 4 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $132,740 | $144,970 | 190 |
| 5 | Waste Management and Remediation Services | $131,380 | $121,670 | 40 |
| 6 | Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $131,380 | $121,670 | 40 |
| 7 | Food Manufacturing | $131,000 | $124,870 | 60 |
| 8 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | $131,000 | $124,870 | 60 |
| 9 | Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation | $130,790 | $130,360 | 2,270 |
| 10 | Water Transportation | $123,300 | $126,200 | 3,700 |
| 11 | Inland Water Transportation | $120,550 | $119,570 | 1,430 |
| 12 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $115,100 | $117,420 | 5,680 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do ship engineers make in the U.S.?
The median ship engineers salary in the United States is $109,530 per year (mean $111,790), and about 80% earn between $57,870 and $165,490.
How much do ship engineers make per hour?
Roughly $54 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $111,790 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays ship engineers the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for ship engineers at $139,700 per year (median $131,640).
What is the job outlook for ship engineers?
Employment is projected to change +1.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 1,100 openings per year.