What You Need to Know About Ship Engineer
Job Description: Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
A Day in the Life of a Ship Engineer
- Record orders for changes in ship speed or direction and note gauge readings or test data, such as revolutions per minute or voltage output, in engineering logs or bellbooks.
- Install engine controls, propeller shafts, or propellers.
- Maintain electrical power, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, water, or sewerage systems.
- Order and receive engine room stores, such as oil or spare parts, maintain inventories, and record usage of supplies.
- Supervise the activities of marine engine technicians engaged in the maintenance or repair of mechanical or electrical marine vessels and inspect their work to ensure that it is performed properly.
- Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.
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What a Ship Engineer Should Know
These are the skills Ship Engineers say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Types of Ship Engineer Jobs
- Licensed Marine Engineer
- Small Boat Engineer
- Deck Engineer
- Operating or Equipment Maintenance Marine Engineer
- Marine Engine Mechanic
Ship Engineer Job Outlook
There were about 10,100 jobs for Ship Engineer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 700 new jobs for Ship Engineer by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,300 positions for Ship Engineer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Ship Engineer are Maine, Texas, and South Carolina. Watch out if you plan on working in Missouri, Indiana, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Ship Engineers Salary
The salary for Ship Engineers ranges between about $40,330 and $123,670 a year.

Ship Engineers who work in New York, Missouri, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Ship Engineers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alaska | $63,620 |
California | $66,870 |
Florida | $67,650 |
Georgia | $66,440 |
Kentucky | $88,710 |
Louisiana | $76,010 |
Massachusetts | $84,810 |
Minnesota | $73,450 |
Mississippi | $77,260 |
Missouri | $86,470 |
New Jersey | $73,790 |
New York | $100,430 |
North Carolina | $49,370 |
Oregon | $78,820 |
Pennsylvania | $81,900 |
South Carolina | $79,350 |
Tennessee | $75,750 |
Texas | $74,100 |
Virginia | $72,970 |
Washington | $84,960 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Ship Engineers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Ship Engineers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Project
- Oracle software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Apple macOS
- SAP software
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Salesforce
- Computer aided dispatch software
- Electronic data interchange EDI software
- Wonderware software
How to Become a Ship Engineer
Learn what Ship Engineer education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Ship Engineers Sector

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Similar Careers
Those who work as a Ship Engineer sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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