Occupations · Transportation and Material Moving
Ship Engineers
Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 53-5031.00
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 87% 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 | $79,540 | 1,340 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $96,390 | 770 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $130,180 | 690 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $131,650 | 680 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $114,750 | 410 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $108,650 | 370 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $105,420 | 330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $143,600 | 130 |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA | $86,590 | 100 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $104,500 | 90 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $83,240 | 70 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $81,820 | 60 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Postsecondary nondegree award · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
- Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.
- Monitor and test operations of engines or other equipment so that malfunctions and their causes can be identified.
- Start engines to propel ships, and regulate engines and power transmissions to control speeds of ships, according to directions from captains or bridge computers.
- Perform or participate in emergency drills, as required.
- Perform general marine vessel maintenance or repair work, such as repairing leaks, finishing interiors, refueling, or maintaining decks.
- Maintain or repair engines, electric motors, pumps, winches, or other mechanical or electrical equipment, or assist other crew members with maintenance or repair duties.
- Maintain complete records of engineering department activities, including machine operations.
- Operate or maintain off-loading liquid pumps or valves.
- Maintain electrical power, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, water, or sewerage systems.
- Install engine controls, propeller shafts, or propellers.
- Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.
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 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
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
- Use drone technology for ship inspections, maintenance, or other tasks.
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. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 14
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 duty engineer | 3151.4 | exact |
| marine engineer | 2144.1.10 | close |
| marine mechanic | 7233.9 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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