The average salary for a ship engineer in California is around $97,660 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship engineers earn an average yearly salary of $97,660.
Wages typically start from $80,820 and go up to $169,280.
45% above national average Updated in 2025
Ship engineer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$81.38 per hour
$169,280 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$75.52 per hour
$157,070 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$46.95 per hour
$97,660 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$40.68 per hour
$84,620 per year
10th percentile
Starting level ship engineer earnings begin at:
$38.86 per hour
$80,820 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 California. On average, they make less than water engineers but more than transit police officers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Water engineer salary | $130K |
| Industrial engineer salary | $125K |
| Civil engineer salary | $122K |
| Marine engineer salary | $111K |
| Naval architect salary | $111K |
| Ship engineer salary | $98K |
| Geodesist salary | $105K |
| Transportation planner salary | $98K |
| Customs broker salary | $88K |
| Transit police officer salary | $110K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)