Marine engineers and naval architects salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $83,010 | $39.91 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $112,230 | $53.96 |
| Mean (average) | $124,180 | $59.70 |
| 90th percentile | $173,330 | $83.33 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Marine engineers and naval architects pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 16 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $110,700 | $66,090 | $172,760 | 250 | 0.26 |
| District of Columbia | $172,330 | $107,030 | $195,190 | 490 | 13.28 |
| Florida | $130,640 | $73,070 | $215,470 | 370 | 0.69 |
| Georgia | $97,770 | $63,650 | $123,350 | 40 | 0.15 |
| Hawaii | $108,200 | $80,830 | $143,020 | 120 | 3.53 |
| Louisiana | Data unavailable | 430 | 4.23 | ||
| Maine | $100,430 | $79,370 | $130,480 | 260 | 7.61 |
| Maryland | $130,150 | $88,770 | $195,190 | 300 | 2.04 |
| Massachusetts | $114,640 | $92,430 | $168,550 | ||
| Michigan | $76,210 | $61,100 | $151,110 | ||
| Mississippi | $97,060 | $63,850 | $133,020 | 70 | 1.2 |
| New York | $112,230 | $112,230 | $134,370 | 250 | 0.48 |
| South Carolina | $136,990 | $85,000 | $167,720 | 40 | 0.35 |
| Texas | $152,780 | $93,180 | $230,020 | 330 | 0.45 |
| Washington | $109,550 | $82,430 | $148,510 | 370 | 1.97 |
| Wisconsin | $78,850 | $66,830 | $105,390 | 80 | 0.49 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for marine engineers and naval architects
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for marine engineers and naval architects
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering CIP 14.2201
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Perform monitoring activities to ensure that ships comply with international regulations and standards for life-saving equipment and pollution preventatives.
- Design complete hull and superstructure according to specifications and test data, in conformity with standards of safety, efficiency, and economy.
- Conduct analyses of ships, such as stability, structural, weight, and vibration analyses.
- Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of craft, such as size, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft.
- Maintain contact with, and formulate reports for, contractors and clients to ensure completion of work at minimum cost.
- Coordinate activities with regulatory bodies to ensure repairs and alterations are at minimum cost and consistent with safety.
- Check, test, and maintain automatic controls and alarm systems.
- Prepare technical reports for use by engineering, management, or sales personnel.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- McNeel Rhinoceros 3D (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Zoom (hot technology)
- ANSYS AQWA
- ANSYS ASAS
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Coordination, Quality Control Analysis.
Common job titles: Marine Architect, Marine Design Engineer, Marine Engineer, Marine Engineering Consultant, Marine Structural Designer, Marine Surveyor, Naval Architect, Naval Architect Specialist, Ship Equipment Engineer, Structural Engineer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do marine engineers and naval architects make?
The national median annual wage for marine engineers and naval architects was $112,230 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $83,010 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $173,330. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do marine engineers and naval architects need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is marine engineers and naval architects a growing career?
BLS projects employment of marine engineers and naval architects to change +6.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay marine engineers and naval architects the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($172,330), Texas ($152,780), South Carolina ($136,990). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.