Occupations · Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 49-3051.00
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 88% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $53,430 | 1,930 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $55,680 | 900 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $59,930 | 850 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $70,000 | 550 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $57,020 | 510 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $54,060 | 440 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $68,640 | 430 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $44,900 | 400 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,850 | 390 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $52,630 | 340 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $55,710 | 340 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $62,370 | 300 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Start motors and monitor performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring.
- Document inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed.
- Mount motors to boats, and operate boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests.
- Repair engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs.
- Perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters.
- Replace parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassemble engines.
- Idle motors and observe thermometers to determine the effectiveness of cooling systems.
- Inspect and repair or adjust propellers or propeller shafts.
- Adjust carburetor mixtures, electrical point settings, or timing while motors are running in water-filled test tanks.
- Set starter locks and align and repair steering or throttle controls, using gauges, screwdrivers, or wrenches.
- Disassemble and inspect motors to locate defective parts, using mechanic's hand tools and gauges.
- Adjust generators and replace faulty wiring, using hand tools and soldering irons.
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 2015-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2015-07
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
- Explain repair procedures to customers.
- Repair or replace engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, water pumps, bilge pumps, or power take-offs.
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.
Now listed 3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| marine mechanic | 7233.9 | exact |
| fisheries assistant engineer | 7233.3 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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