Occupations · Architecture and Engineering
Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
Design, develop, and evaluate the operation of marine vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment, such as power supply and propulsion systems.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 17-2121.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 50% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $100,630 | 1,810 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $160,100 | 640 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $128,470 | 470 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $101,460 | 270 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $131,820 | 210 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | $107,100 | 140 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $102,190 | 110 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $110,020 | 90 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $108,530 | 90 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $128,420 | 80 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | $99,150 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $148,650 | 50 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Supervise other engineers and crew members and train them for routine and emergency duties.
- 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.
- Design layout of craft interior, including cargo space, passenger compartments, ladder wells, and elevators.
- Prepare, or direct the preparation of, product or system layouts and detailed drawings and schematics.
- Evaluate performance of craft during dock and sea trials to determine design changes and conformance with national and international standards.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Develop plans for safely drydocking vessels, including structural integrity, block loading, and stability.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 10
No longer listed 8
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| ship assistant engineer | 3151.3 | close |
| marine engineering drafter | 3118.3.10 | close |
| naval architect | 2144.1.14 | broader |
| marine engineer | 2144.1.10 | broader |
| marine chief engineer | 3151.2 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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