SOC 49-3051.00Bright outlook

    Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

    Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.

    Median pay
    $57,550
    Growth
    +4.9%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    2,600
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    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
    $36,950
    Median
    $57,550
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $79,330
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    23,220 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Motorboat mechanics and service technicians repair and adjust the electrical and mechanical parts of inboard and inboard-outboard boat engines. They earn a median annual pay of $57,550 and work in a hands-on field with steady job openings.

    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 motorboat mechanics and service technicians do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this career focus on repairing and maintaining mechanical equipment for boats. On a daily basis, they inspect equipment, troubleshoot issues, and make decisions to solve complex mechanical problems. The work is highly physical and involves handling objects, operating mechanized devices, and controlling machines.

    To succeed in this role, technicians must have strong skills in equipment maintenance, operation monitoring, and critical thinking. They need a solid foundation of knowledge in mechanics, computers, electronics, and transportation. Because they often interact with boat owners, customer service and English language skills are also important. This job fits people with realistic interests who prefer practical, hands-on tasks. Successful technicians approach their work with attention to detail, dependability, cautiousness, and perseverance.

    How to get there

    To enter this field, workers typically need at least a high school diploma. The career is classified as requiring medium preparation, which means many technicians complete vocational training, earn an associate degree, or gain significant related work experience before starting.

    Students preparing for this career often choose college majors such as vehicle maintenance and repair technologies, or mechanical engineering related technologies. These programs help students build the technical knowledge required to diagnose and fix marine engines.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for motorboat mechanics and service technicians was $57,550. Individual earnings vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $36,950 and the highest 10% earning more than $79,330.

    There were 23,220 people employed in this occupation. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 4.9%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. About 2,600 job openings are expected to become available each year during this period.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    31 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    0 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    10 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    48 / 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 RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    78
    Handling and Moving Objects
    78
    Getting Information
    76
    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    75
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    75
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    73
    Performing General Physical Activities
    72
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    71
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    68
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    67
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Repairing
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Troubleshooting
    • Operation and Control
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Critical Thinking
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Equipment Selection
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Computers and Electronics
    • English Language
    • Mathematics
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Transportation
    • Administration and Management
    • Physics
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Control Precision
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Near Vision
    • Hearing Sensitivity
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Self-Confidence
    • Initiative

    Also called

    Boat Mechanic · Boat Motor Mechanic · Boat Outboard Engine Mechanic · Boat Rigger · Boat Tester · Certified Marine Mechanic · Experimental Outboard Motors Mechanic · Marine Diesel Mechanic · Marine Machinery Mechanic · Marine Mechanic

    Career pathway

    From your interests to motorboat mechanics and service technicians

    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

      • Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians$57,550 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. 1California State University Maritime Academy logo
      California State University Maritime Academy

      Vallejo, CA · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $97,197
      4 yrs after
      $126,209
      Median debt
      $26,935
    2. 2
      University of Massachusetts-Lowell

      Lowell, MA · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $120,219
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3Metropolitan State University of Denver logo
      Metropolitan State University of Denver

      Denver, CO · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $73,430
      4 yrs after
      $98,267
      Median debt
      $23,407
    4. 4Wayne State University-Michigan logo
      Wayne State University-Michigan

      Detroit, MI · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $70,466
      4 yrs after
      $97,257
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5
      Farmingdale State College

      Farmingdale, NY · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $62,701
      4 yrs after
      $91,941
      Median debt
      $15,000
    6. 6University of Maine Main Campus logo
      University of Maine Main Campus

      Orono, ME · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $71,830
      4 yrs after
      $91,879
      Median debt
      $22,000
    7. 7California State Polytechnic University-Pomona logo
      California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

      Pomona, CA · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $72,141
      4 yrs after
      $91,230
      Median debt
      $16,815
    8. 8
      Central Connecticut State University

      New Britain, CT · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $77,570
      4 yrs after
      $90,472
      Median debt
      $25,500

    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 motorboat mechanics and service technicians may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Marine Engineering Technology/Technician
    • Marine Maintenance/Fitter and Ship Repair Technology/Technician
    • Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician

    Find training near you 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 9, 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 motorboat mechanics and service technicians

    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 common job titles for this career?

    People in this field are known by several names, including marine mechanic, boat motor mechanic, boat rigger, and marine diesel mechanic. Others may work under titles like boat tester or certified marine mechanic.

    What education is typically required to become a motorboat mechanic?

    A high school diploma is the typical entry-level education. However, many workers prepare by completing vocational school programs, earning an associate degree, or gaining hands-on experience in related mechanical fields.

    What are some similar careers I could consider?

    If you are interested in this line of work, you might also explore careers as a motorcycle mechanic, outdoor power equipment mechanic, automotive service technician, or diesel engine specialist.

    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 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.