Ship Engineers
Also called: Barge Engineer, Deck Engineer, Engineer, Engineering Watch Officer, Equipment Maintenance Marine Engineer, Equipment Operating Engineer, Ferry Engineer, Fire Boat Engineer
Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
What ship engineers do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Operate or maintain off-loading liquid pumps or valves.
- Maintain electrical power, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, water, or sewerage systems.
- Install engine controls, propeller shafts, or propellers.
- Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Ship Engineers salary
The median annual wage for ship engineers is $109,530 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $57,870 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $165,490. The mean annual wage is $111,790.
The mean hourly wage of $53.00 is 7.3× 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 Ship Engineers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $109,530 → in 3 years $120,100 → in 5 years $127,700 → in 10 years $149,000 (10-year range $128,100–$172,900). The model assumes pay growth of +3.1% 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 Ship Engineers
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 Ship Engineers? 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 Ship Engineers
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.
The same job in Japan
| Ship Engineers United States | 船舶機関士 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $109,530 | ¥4.70M ≈ $29,896 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $149,000 | ¥5.78M |
| Outlook score | 67 | 46 |
| AI replacement risk | 25% Low | 41% Moderate |
| Workers | 8,400 | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Ship Engineers
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 ship engineers
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 ship engineers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.