SOC 17-2121.00Bright outlook

    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.

    Median pay
    $112,230
    Growth
    +6.7%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    500
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $83,010
    Median
    $112,230
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $173,330
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    8,250 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Marine engineers and naval architects design, build, and test ships, maritime machinery, and offshore equipment. This career offers a median annual pay of $112,230, with opportunities for steady employment growth.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What marine engineers and naval architects do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Design, develop, and evaluate the operation of marine vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment, such as power supply and propulsion systems.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Professionals in this field focus on the design, development, and evaluation of marine vessels and propulsion systems. Their daily routines involve gathering information, analyzing data, and solving complex problems to ensure ships and machinery operate safely. They spend significant time working with computers to create designs and documenting their technical findings. They also evaluate their work to make sure it complies with industry standards and provide expert consultation to other team members.

    Succeeding in this role requires a strong realistic interest, meaning a preference for hands-on, practical work. Key skills include critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, and mathematics. Workers must have deep knowledge of engineering, technology, physics, and mechanical design. They also need to understand transportation systems and construction principles. To handle the responsibilities of the job, these engineers rely on work styles like attention to detail, dependability, cautiousness, and intellectual curiosity. They must be adaptable, show leadership, and maintain high integrity when making safety decisions.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a bachelor's degree, which is the standard entry-level education. Most positions also demand several years of related work experience, placing this occupation in a category that requires considerable preparation. The most direct college major for this field is naval architecture and marine engineering.

    While preparing for this career, candidates can look into professional credentials to enhance their qualifications. For example, the National Fire Protection Association offers a Certified Marine Chemist credential. Additionally, some states list specific licensing requirements for individuals performing this type of engineering work. Aspiring engineers should research the regulations in their specific location to ensure they meet all local standards.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for marine engineers and naval architects is $112,230. This means half of the workers in this field earn more than this amount, while the other half earn less. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and location; the lowest 10% of workers earn less than $83,010, while the highest 10% earn more than $173,330.

    This is a relatively small field, with 8,250 people employed. However, employment is projected to grow by 6.7% from 2025 to 2035, which is faster than the average for all occupations. This growth, combined with normal staff turnover, is expected to result in approximately 500 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    79 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    79 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    27 / 100
    Social (S)
    5 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    38 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    55 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RIC. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    81
    Getting Information
    81
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    78
    Analyzing Data or Information
    77
    Documenting/Recording Information
    75
    Working with Computers
    75
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    74
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    71
    Processing Information
    71
    Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Mathematics
    • Active Learning
    • Operations Monitoring

    Knowledge

    • Engineering and Technology
    • Mechanical
    • Design
    • English Language
    • Transportation
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Building and Construction
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Category Flexibility
    • Mathematical Reasoning

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Innovation
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Adaptability
    • Perseverance
    • Leadership Orientation

    Also called

    Architect Specialist · Automation Engineer · Boat Designer · Consulting Marine Engineer · Engineer · Engineering Specialist · Marine Architect · Marine Civil Engineer · Marine Consultant · Marine Design Engineer

    Career pathway

    From your interests to marine engineers and naval architects

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Marine Engineers and Naval Architects$112,230 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Maine Maritime Academy logo
      Maine Maritime Academy

      Castine, ME · Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $124,997
      4 yrs after
      $137,352
      Median debt
      $27,000
    2. 2Massachusetts Maritime Academy logo
      Massachusetts Maritime Academy

      Buzzards Bay, MA · Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $124,902
      4 yrs after
      $125,016
      Median debt
      $26,000
    3. 3SUNY Maritime College logo
      SUNY Maritime College

      Throggs Neck, NY · Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $96,268
      4 yrs after
      $106,186
      Median debt
      $26,500
    4. 4University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $94,569
      Median debt
      $19,500
    5. 5Webb Institute logo
      Webb Institute

      Glen Cove, NY · Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $92,972
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What marine engineers and naval architects may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    48 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about marine engineers and naval architects

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this field are known by many names, including boat designer, marine architect, and marine design engineer. They may also be called automation engineers, consulting marine engineers, or engineering specialists.

    What are some related careers I could explore?

    If you are interested in this field, you might also look into becoming a ship engineer, aerospace engineer, or mechanical engineer. Other related options include working as an industrial engineer or as a technologist in aerospace or mechanical engineering.

    Is a license required to work in this field?

    Licensing requirements vary depending on where you plan to work. Some states list specific licensing guidelines for marine engineers and naval architects, so you should check local state boards for details.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.