The average salary for a ship engineer in the United States is around $109,530 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship engineers earn an average yearly salary of $109,530.
Wages typically start from $57,870 and go up to $165,490.
60% above national average Updated in 2025
Ship engineer earnings by seniority
Top-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$79.56 per hour
$165,490 per year
Senior-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$65.27 per hour
$135,760 per year
Mid-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$52.66 per hour
$109,530 per year
Junior-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$39.49 per hour
$82,130 per year
Starting level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$27.82 per hour
$57,870 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Ship engineer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | $98,380 |
| South Carolina | $97,890 |
| California | $97,660 |
| Alabama | $96,030 |
| Missouri | $91,760 |
| Oregon | $88,800 |
| Alaska | $88,190 |
| Virginia | $82,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,210 |
| Michigan | $79,170 |
| Maine | $77,160 |
| Tennessee | $76,590 |
| North Carolina | $65,010 |
| Minnesota | $60,770 |
| Georgia | $60,210 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,570 |
| New York | $133,640 |
| Hawaii | $131,640 |
| Florida | $130,480 |
| Texas | $127,810 |
| Massachusetts | $122,720 |
| Indiana | $122,190 |
| Kentucky | $120,550 |
| Rhode Island | $119,330 |
| Connecticut | $119,010 |
| New Jersey | $118,310 |
| Illinois | $115,310 |
| Washington | $107,940 |
| Louisiana | $103,430 |
How do ship engineer salaries compare to similar careers?
Ship engineers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than biomedical engineers but more than transportation planners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomedical engineer salary | $109K |
| Mining and geological engineer salary | $106K |
| Mechanical engineer salary | $104K |
| Environmental engineer salary | $107K |
| Water engineer salary | $107K |
| Ship engineer salary | $110K |
| Industrial engineer salary | $102K |
| Civil engineer salary | $101K |
| Agricultural engineer salary | $99K |
| Transportation planner salary | $101K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)