Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Also called: Boat Mechanic, Boat Motor Mechanic, Boat Outboard Engine Mechanic, Boat Rigger, Boat Tester, Certified Marine Mechanic, Experimental Outboard Motors Mechanic, Marine Diesel Mechanic
Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
What motorboat mechanics and service technicians do
Typical tasks
- Start motors and monitor performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring.
- Document inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed.
- Mount motors to boats, and operate boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests.
- Repair engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs.
- Perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters.
- Replace parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassemble engines.
- Idle motors and observe thermometers to determine the effectiveness of cooling systems.
- Inspect and repair or adjust propellers or propeller shafts.
- Adjust carburetor mixtures, electrical point settings, or timing while motors are running in water-filled test tanks.
- Set starter locks and align and repair steering or throttle controls, using gauges, screwdrivers, or wrenches.
- Disassemble and inspect motors to locate defective parts, using mechanic's hand tools and gauges.
- Adjust generators and replace faulty wiring, using hand tools and soldering irons.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians salary
The median annual wage for motorboat mechanics and service technicians is $57,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $36,950 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $79,330. The mean annual wage is $58,070.
The mean hourly wage of $27.00 is 3.7× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $57,550 → in 3 years $63,300 → in 5 years $67,400 → in 10 years $78,900 (10-year range $67,800–$91,600). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become motorboat mechanics and service technicians
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as motorboat mechanics and service technicians
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.