Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (SOC 17-2121) earn a median $112,230 a year ($53.96 an hour) in the United States, with 8,250 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What marine engineers and naval architects do
Marine engineers and naval architects design ships, boats, and other marine vessels, along with the machinery that powers and runs them. Naval architects concentrate on the hull and overall vessel, while marine engineers focus on propulsion, power supply, and onboard mechanical and electrical systems. Typical tasks include designing the complete hull and superstructure from specifications and test data, analyzing stability, structure, weight, and vibration, and studying design proposals to establish the basic characteristics of a craft. Some also monitor vessels to confirm they comply with international regulations and standards. The occupation differs from ship engineers, the crew members who operate engines aboard a vessel and are classified in transportation, and from mechanical engineers, whose work is not tied to marine vessels. Further duties include keeping automatic controls and alarm systems tested and in working order, coordinating with regulatory bodies on repairs and alterations, and preparing technical reports for engineering, management, or sales staff.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Marine Engineer, Boat Designer, Consulting Marine Engineer, Architect Specialist, Automation Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $39.91 | $47.71 | $53.96 | $66.20 | $83.33 | $59.70 | 8,250 |
| Annual | $83,010 | $99,250 | $112,230 | $137,690 | $173,330 | $124,180 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where marine engineers and naval architects earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $51.46 | $57.04 | $82.85 | $82.96 | $93.84 | $75.14 | 490 | 0.71 | 13.28 |
| Annual | $107,030 | $118,640 | $172,330 | $172,550 | $195,190 | $156,300 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $44.80 | $57.34 | $73.45 | $91.17 | $110.59 | $73.73 | 330 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $93,180 | $119,270 | $152,780 | $189,640 | $230,020 | $153,350 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $40.86 | $44.99 | $65.86 | $72.98 | $80.64 | $60.30 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $85,000 | $93,580 | $136,990 | $151,790 | $167,720 | $125,430 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $35.13 | $46.43 | $62.81 | $80.32 | $103.59 | $64.34 | 370 | 0.04 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $73,070 | $96,580 | $130,640 | $167,060 | $215,470 | $133,820 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $42.68 | $49.71 | $62.57 | $81.61 | $93.84 | $65.51 | 300 | 0.11 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $88,770 | $103,400 | $130,150 | $169,760 | $195,190 | $136,260 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $51.46 | $57.04 | $82.85 | $82.96 | $93.84 | $75.14 | 490 | 0.71 | 13.28 |
| Annual | $107,030 | $118,640 | $172,330 | $172,550 | $195,190 | $156,300 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 430 | 0.22 | 4.23 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $35.13 | $46.43 | $62.81 | $80.32 | $103.59 | $64.34 | 370 | 0.04 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $73,070 | $96,580 | $130,640 | $167,060 | $215,470 | $133,820 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.63 | $47.06 | $52.67 | $62.25 | $71.40 | $55.00 | 370 | 0.11 | 1.97 |
| Annual | $82,430 | $97,880 | $109,550 | $129,480 | $148,510 | $114,400 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $44.80 | $57.34 | $73.45 | $91.17 | $110.59 | $73.73 | 330 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $93,180 | $119,270 | $152,780 | $189,640 | $230,020 | $153,350 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $50.10 | $57.04 | $76.78 | $82.97 | $93.84 | $72.91 | 710 | 0.23 | 4.28 |
| Annual | $104,210 | $118,630 | $159,700 | $172,580 | $195,190 | $151,650 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $44.80 | $57.34 | $69.29 | $89.97 | $116.20 | $73.32 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $93,180 | $119,270 | $144,120 | $187,140 | $241,700 | $152,500 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $33.65 | $42.10 | $67.56 | $82.34 | $88.02 | $63.84 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $69,990 | $87,560 | $140,520 | $171,270 | $183,080 | $132,790 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $31.03 | $47.48 | $65.03 | $83.33 | $83.33 | $61.53 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $64,540 | $98,750 | $135,270 | $173,330 | $173,330 | $127,990 | ||||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Hourly | $24.78 | $37.84 | $63.58 | $77.89 | $106.69 | $60.06 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $51,550 | $78,710 | $132,250 | $162,000 | $221,920 | $124,920 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $50.10 | $57.04 | $76.78 | $82.97 | $93.84 | $72.91 | 710 | 0.23 | 4.28 |
| Annual | $104,210 | $118,630 | $159,700 | $172,580 | $195,190 | $151,650 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $53.96 | $53.96 | $53.96 | $64.60 | $64.60 | $58.93 | 250 | 0.03 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $112,230 | $112,230 | $112,230 | $134,370 | $134,370 | $122,570 | ||||
| Portland-South Portland, ME | Hourly | $38.16 | $39.60 | $50.41 | $62.20 | $65.66 | $51.89 | 230 | 0.79 | 14.82 |
| Annual | $79,370 | $82,370 | $104,850 | $129,380 | $136,580 | $107,940 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $37.42 | $45.27 | $51.08 | $60.22 | $64.53 | $52.63 | 180 | 1.90 | 35.77 |
| Annual | $77,830 | $94,160 | $106,250 | $125,260 | $134,220 | $109,460 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $42.90 | $51.99 | $61.83 | $70.39 | $78.92 | $59.66 | 150 | 0.07 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $89,230 | $108,140 | $128,610 | $146,400 | $164,150 | $124,090 | ||||
Top industries employing marine engineers and naval architects
Ship and Boat Building employ 51.2% of marine engineers and naval architects nationally (4,220 jobs) at a median $104,800 a year ($50.39 an hour), followed by Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (15.6%) and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (12.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship and Boat Building NAICS 336600 | 4,220 | 51.2% | $104,800 | $50.39 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 1,290 | 15.6% | $115,350 | $55.46 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,030 | 12.5% | $124,760 | $59.98 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation NAICS 488300 | 520 | 6.3% | $128,340 | $61.70 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation NAICS 483100 | 250 | 3.0% | $138,410 | $66.54 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (8,250). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $93,370 for marine engineers and naval architects in May 2021 and $112,230 in May 2025, with employment of 7,380 and 8,250.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $93,370 | $44.89 | 7,380 |
| May 2022 | $96,910 | $46.59 | 7,450 |
| May 2023 | $100,270 | $48.21 | 9,960 |
| May 2024 | $105,670 | $50.80 | 8,440 |
| May 2025 | $112,230 | $53.96 | 8,250 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
16 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $82.85 | $172,330 | $107,030 | $195,190 | 490 | 0.71 | 13.28 |
| 2 | Texas profile | $73.45 | $152,780 | $93,180 | $230,020 | 330 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| 3 | South Carolina profile | $65.86 | $136,990 | $85,000 | $167,720 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.35 |
| 4 | Florida profile | $62.81 | $130,640 | $73,070 | $215,470 | 370 | 0.04 | 0.69 |
| 5 | Maryland profile | $62.57 | $130,150 | $88,770 | $195,190 | 300 | 0.11 | 2.04 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $55.11 | $114,640 | $92,430 | $168,550 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | New York profile | $53.96 | $112,230 | $112,230 | $134,370 | 250 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| 8 | California profile | $53.22 | $110,700 | $66,090 | $172,760 | 250 | 0.01 | 0.26 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $52.67 | $109,550 | $82,430 | $148,510 | 370 | 0.11 | 1.97 |
| 10 | Hawaii profile | $52.02 | $108,200 | $80,830 | $143,020 | 120 | 0.19 | 3.53 |
| 11 | Maine profile | $48.28 | $100,430 | $79,370 | $130,480 | 260 | 0.40 | 7.61 |
| 12 | Georgia profile | $47.01 | $97,770 | $63,650 | $123,350 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| 13 | Mississippi profile | $46.66 | $97,060 | $63,850 | $133,020 | 70 | 0.06 | 1.20 |
| 14 | Wisconsin profile | $37.91 | $78,850 | $66,830 | $105,390 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.49 |
| 15 | Michigan profile | $36.64 | $76,210 | $61,100 | $151,110 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Louisiana profile | * | * | * | * | 430 | 0.22 | 4.23 |
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-2121 Marine Engineers and Naval Architects.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-2121, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-2121.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.