U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
Summary

Marine engineers inspect equipment and machinery in

order to draw up work requests and job specifications.

Quick Fact s: Marine Engineers and Nav al Archit ect s

$9 2 ,9 3 0 per y ear
2014 Median Pay
$4 4 .6 8 per hou r
Ty pical Ent ry -Lev el Educat ion Bachelor 's degr ee
Work Experience in a Relat ed Occupat ion None
On-t he-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2014 8,3 00
Job Out look, 2014-24 9 % (Faster than av er age)
Employ ment Change, 2014-24 7 00

Wh at Marine Engineers and Nav al A rch itects Do

Marine engineers and nav al architects design, build, and maintain ships from aircraft carriers to submarines,
from sailboats to tankers. Marine engineers are primarily responsible for the internal sy stems of a ship, such as
propulsion, electrical, refrigeration, and steering. Nav al architects are primarily responsible for the ship
design, including the form, structure, and stability of hulls.
Work Env ironm ent
Marine engineers and nav al architects held about 8,300 jobs in 201 4. They ty pically work in offices, where they
hav e access to computer software and other tools necessary for analy zing projects and designing solutions.
Sometimes, they must go to sea on ships to test or maintain the ships that they hav e designed or built.
How to Becom e a Marine Engineer or Nav al A rch itect
Marine engineers ty pically need a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, marine sy stems engineering, or
marine engineering technology , and nav al architects ty pically need a bachelor’s degree in nav al architecture.
Employ ers also v alue practical ex perience, so cooperativ e education programs, which prov ide college credit
for structured job ex perience, are v aluable.
Pay
Pay
The median annual wage for marine engineers and nav al architects was $92,930 in May 201 4.
Job Ou tlook
Employ ment of marine engineers and nav al architects is projected to grow 9 percent from 201 4 to 2024, faster
than the av erage for all occupations. The need to design env ironmentally -friendly ships and sy stems to
transport energy products, such as liquefied natural gas, across the globe will help to spur employ ment growth
for this occupation.
State & A rea Data
Ex plore resources for employ ment and wages by state and area for marine engineers and nav al architects.
Sim ilar Occu pations
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of marine engineers and nav al architects with similar
occupations.
More I nform ation, I nclu ding Links to O*NET
Learn more about marine engineers and nav al architects by v isiting additional resources, including O*NET, a
source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Marine Engineers and Naval Architects Do

Marine engineers and naval architects

may work directly on ships.

Marine engineers and nav al architects design, build, and maintain ships from aircraft carriers to submarines,
from sailboats to tankers. Marine engineers are also known as marine design engineers or marine mechanical
engineers, and are primarily responsible for the internal sy stems of a ship, such as propulsion, electrical,
refrigeration, and steering. Nav al architects are primarily responsible for ship design, including the form,
structure, and stability of hulls.

Duties
Marine engineers ty pically do the following:

Prepare sy stem lay outs and detailed drawings and schematics

 Prepare sy stem lay outs and detailed drawings and schematics
Inspect marine equipment and machinery , and draw up work requests and job specifications
Conduct env ironmental, operational, or performance tests on marine machinery and equipment
Design and ov ersee the testing, installation, and repair of marine equipment
Inv estigate and test machinery and equipment to ensure compliance with standards
Coordinate activ ities with regulatory bodies to ensure that repairs and alterations are done safely and
at minimal cost
Prepare technical reports for use by engineers, managers, or sales personnel
Prepare cost estimates, contract specifications, and design and construction schedules
Maintain contact with contractors to be sure that the work is being done correctly , on schedule, and
within budget

Nav al architects ty pically do the following:

Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of a ship, such as its size,
weight, and speed
Dev elop sectional and waterline curv es of the ship’s hull to establish the center of grav ity , ideal hull
form, and data on buoy ancy and stability
Design entire ship hulls and superstructures, following safety and regulatory standards
Design the complete lay out of ships’ interiors, including spaces for machinery and aux iliary equipment,
passenger compartments, cargo space, ladder wells, and elev ators
Confer with marine engineers to design the lay out of boiler room equipment, heating and v entilation
sy stems, refrigeration equipment, electrical distribution sy stems, safety sy stems, steering, and
propulsion machinery
Lead teams from a v ariety of specialties to ov ersee building and testing prototy pes
Ev aluate how ships perform during trials, both in the dock and at sea, and change designs as needed to
make sure that national and international standards are met

Marine engineers and nav al architects apply knowledge from a range of engineering fields to the entire water
v ehicles’ design and production processes. Marine engineers also design and maintain offshore oil rigs and may
work on alternativ e energy projects, such as wind turbines located offshore and tidal power.

Marine engineers and nav al architects who work for ship and boat building firms design large ships such as
passenger ships and cargo ships, as well as small craft such as inflatable boats and rowboats. Those who work in
the federal gov ernment may design or test the designs of ships or sy stems for the A rmy , Nav y , or Coast Guard.

Ship engineers, who are sometimes called marine engineers, operate or superv ise the operation of the
machinery on a ship. Their work differs from that of the marine engineers discussed in this profile. For more
information on ship engineers, see the profile on water transportation workers.

Work Environment
 Marine engineers and naval architects design and
oversee testing, installation, and repair of marine
apparatus and equipment.

Marine engineers and nav al architects held about 8,300 jobs in 201 4. The industries that employ ed the most
marine engineers and nav al architects were as follows:

Engineering services 23%

Ship and boat building 13
Federal government, excluding postal service 12
Water transportation 9
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 7

They ty pically work in offices, where they hav e access to computer software and other tools necessary for
analy zing projects and designing solutions. Sometimes, they must go to sea on ships to test or maintain the
ships that they hav e designed or built.

Marine engineers and nav al architects who work on power generation projects, such as offshore wind turbines
and tidal power, work along the coast—both offshore and on land. They also sometimes work on oil rigs, where
they ov ersee the repair or maintenance of sy stems that they may hav e designed.

Nav al architects often lead teams to create feasible designs, and they must effectiv ely use the skills that each
person brings to the design process.

Work Schedules
Marine engineers and nav al architects work full time, and about 1 in 3 worked more than 40 hours per week in
201 4. Marine engineers who work at sea will work a schedule tied to the operations of their particular ship.
Those who work on shore will hav e somewhat more regular work schedules. Because nav al architects are
primarily designers, they are much more likely to work a regular schedule in an office or at a shipy ard.

How to Become a Marine Engineer or Naval Architect

 Marine engineers must design several systems for ships
and vessels that will function well together.

Marine engineers ty pically need a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, marine sy stems engineering, or
marine engineering technology , and nav al architects ty pically need a bachelor’s degree in nav al architecture.
Employ ers also v alue practical ex perience, so cooperativ e education programs, which prov ide college credit
and job ex perience, are v aluable.

Education
Marine engineers ty pically need a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, marine sy stems engineering, or
marine engineering technology , and nav al architects ty pically need a bachelor’s degree in nav al architecture.
Programs ty pically include courses in calculus, phy sics, and computer-aided design. Some programs are
offered at one of the six state maritime academies. Courses specific to marine engineering and nav al
architecture include fluid mechanics, ship hull strength, and mechanics of materials. Some marine engineers
hav e bachelor’s degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering.

Students study ing marine engineering and nav al architecture at the maritime academies spend time at sea,
usually during the summer, to gain onboard operating ex perience.

Programs in marine engineering, nav al architecture, marine sy stems engineering, and marine engineering
technology are accredited by A BET .

Students interested in preparing for this occupation benefit from taking high school courses in math, such as
algebra, trigonometry , and calculus; and science, such as chemistry and phy sics. For aspiring nav al architects,
drafting courses are helpful.

Important Qualities
Com m unication skills. Marine engineers and nav al architects must be able to giv e clear instructions and
ex plain complex concepts when leading teams of professionals on projects.

Ingenuity . Marine engineers and nav al architects must use operations analy sis to create a design that will
most likely perform the ship’s functions. They then employ skills of critical thinking to anticipate and correct
any deficiencies before the ship is built or set to sea.

Interpersonal skills. Marine engineers and nav al architects meet with clients to analy ze their needs for ship
sy stems. Engineers must be able to discuss progress with clients to keep redesign options open before the
project is too far along.

Math skills. Marine engineers and nav al architects use the principles of calculus, trigonometry , and other
adv anced topics in math for analy sis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Problem -solving skills. Marine engineers must design sev eral sy stems that work well together in ships.
Nav al architects and marine engineers are ex pected to solv e problems for their clients. They must draw on

their knowledge and ex perience to make effectiv e decisions.

their knowledge and ex perience to make effectiv e decisions.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

A long with earning a bachelor’s degree, students at states’ maritime academies take an ex am for a U.S.
Merchant Mariner’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard. The first stage of the license is known as the 3rd A ssistant
Engineer’s License. With ex perience and further testing, a marine engineer may get a 2nd and then a 1 st
A ssistant Engineer’s License. The highest lev el of licensure is known as Chief Engineer. Higher grades of
licensing usually are accompanied by higher pay and more responsibilities.

Licensure is not required for entry -lev el positions as an engineer. A Professional Engineering (PE) license,
which allows for higher lev els of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one’s career. Licensed
engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can ov ersee the work of other engineers, sign off on
projects, and prov ide serv ices directly to the public. State licensure generally requires all of the following:

A degree from an A BET-accredited engineering program

A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) ex am
Relev ant work ex perience, ty pically at least 4 y ears
A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) ex am

The initial FE ex am can be taken after one earns a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this ex am are
commonly called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). A fter meeting work ex perience
requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second ex am, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering.

Advancement
Beginning marine engineers usually work under the superv ision of ex perienced engineers. In larger companies,
new engineers also may receiv e formal training in classrooms or seminars. A s beginning engineers gain
knowledge and ex perience, they mov e on to more difficult projects where they hav e greater independence to
dev elop designs, solv e problems, and make decisions.

Ev entually , marine engineers may adv ance to become technical specialists or to superv ise a team of engineers
and technicians. Some may ev en become engineering managers or mov e into other managerial positions or
sales work. In sales, an engineering background enables them to discuss technical aspects of certain kinds of
engineering projects. Such knowledge is also useful in assisting clients in project planning, installation, and use.
For more information, see the profiles on architectural and engineering managers and sales managers.

Pay

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Median annual wages, May 2014

Marine engineers and naval

architects
$92,930

Engineers $88,720

Total, all occupations $35,540

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics

The median annual wage for marine engineers and nav al architects was $92,930 in May 201 4. The median wage
is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The
lowest 1 0 percent earned less than $59,1 1 0, and the highest 1 0 percent earned more than $1 46,840.

In May 201 4, the median annual wages for marine engineers and nav al architects in the top industries in which
they worked were as follows:

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction $116,830

Federal government, excluding postal service 98,570
Engineering services 91,470
Water transportation 89,890
Ship and boat building 87,830

Marine engineers and nav al architects work full time, and about 1 in 3 worked more than 40 hours per week in
201 4. Marine engineers who work at sea will work a schedule tied to the operations of their particular ship.
Those who work on shore will hav e somewhat more regular work schedules. Because nav al architects are
primarily designers, they are much more likely to work a regular schedule in an office or at a shipy ard.

Union Membership
Compared with workers in all occupations, marine engineers and nav al architects had a higher percentage of
workers who belonged to a union in 201 4.

Job Outlook

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Percent change in employment, projected 2014-24

Marine engineers and naval

architects
9%

Total, all occupations 7%

Engineers 4%

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Employ ment of marine engineers and nav al architects is projected to grow 9 percent from 201 4 to 2024, faster
than the av erage for all occupations.

The need to design ships and sy stems to transport energy products, such as liquefied natural gas, across the
globe will help to spur employ ment growth for this occupation. Employ ment of marine engineers and nav al
architects also will be supported by the need to modify ex isting ships and their sy stems because of new
emissions and pollution regulations on cargo shipping.
emissions and pollution regulations on cargo shipping.

Marine engineers who design and maintain offshore oil rigs are ex pected to be in demand as more companies
seek and drill for oil and gas deposits in the ocean floor. In addition, an increase in international ov erseas
transportation of liquefied natural gas is ex pected to lead to demand for marine engineers to work on ship
crews, although sometimes on ships sailing under foreign flags.

Demand for marine engineers and nav al architects also will come from the desire to hav e cargo ships that
pollute less. The technology to produce less pollution is becoming more cost effectiv e, and the United States
and other countries are focusing more on reducing pollution. This task will include the adoption of new and
alternativ e energy sources, such as offshore wind turbines and tidal power generators.

Employment projections data for marine engineers and naval architects, 2014-24
Change, 2014-24
SOC Employment, Projected Employment
Occupational Title Code 2014 Employment, 2024 Percent Numeric by Industry

Marine engineers and naval

17-2121 8,300 9,000 9 700 [XLSX]
architects

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

State & Area Data

Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)
The Occupational Employ ment Statistics (OES) program produces employ ment and wage estimates annually for
ov er 800 occupations. These estimates are av ailable for the nation as a whole, for indiv idual states, and for
metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employ ment and wages by
state and area.

Marine engineers and nav al architects

Projections Central
Occupational employ ment projections are dev eloped for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or
indiv idual state Employ ment Projections offices. A ll state projections data are av ailable at
www.projectionscentral.com . Information on this site allows projected employ ment growth for an
occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce
projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retriev ed.

Career InfoNet
A merica’s Career InfoNet includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data av ailable by state and metro
area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employ ment by state and
occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip
code.

Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of marine engineers and nav al
architects.

OCCUPATION JOB DUTIES ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION 2014 MEDIAN PAY

A er ospa ce en g in eer s
desig n pr im a r ily
a ir cr a ft , spa cecr a ft ,
sa t ellit es, a n d m issiles.
A er ospa ce In a ddit ion , t h ey t est Ba ch elor 's deg r ee $1 0 5 ,3 8 0
En gi n eer s pr ot ot y pes t o m a k e
su r e t h a t t h ey
 su r e t h a t t h ey
fu n ct ion a ccor din g t o
desig n .

Elect r ica l en g in eer s

desig n , dev elop, t est ,
a n d su per v ise t h e
m a n u fa ct u r in g of
elect r ica l equ ipm en t ,
su ch a s elect r ic
m ot or s, r a da r a n d
n a v ig a t ion sy st em s,
com m u n ica t ion s
El ect r i ca l
sy st em s, a n d pow er
and
g en er a t ion Ba ch elor 's deg r ee $9 3 ,2 6 0
El ect r on i cs
equ ipm en t . Elect r on ics
En gi n eer s
en g in eer s desig n a n d
dev elop elect r on ic
equ ipm en t , su ch a s
br oa dca st a n d
com m u n ica t ion s
sy st em s—fr om
por t a ble m u sic pla y er s
t o g loba l posit ion in g
sy st em s (G PSs).

Mech a n ica l
en g in eer in g is on e of
t h e br oa dest
en g in eer in g
disciplin es.
Mech a n i ca l Mech a n ica l en g in eer s
Ba ch elor 's deg r ee $8 3 ,0 6 0
En gi n eer s desig n , dev elop, bu ild,
a n d t est m ech a n ica l
a n d t h er m a l sen sor s
a n d dev ices, in clu din g
t ools, en g in es, a n d
m a ch in es.

Pet r oleu m en g in eer s

desig n a n d dev elop
m et h ods for ex t r a ct in g
oil a n d g a s fr om
Pet r ol eu m deposit s below t h e
Ba ch elor 's deg r ee $1 3 0 ,0 5 0
En gi n eer s Ea r t h ’s su r fa ce.
Pet r oleu m en g in eer s
a lso fin d n ew w a y s t o
ex t r a ct oil a n d g a s
fr om older w ells.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about marine engineers and nav al architects, v isit

Marine Engineers’ Beneficial A ssociation

A merican Society of Nav al Engineers

For more information about general engineering education and career resources, v isit

A merican Society for Engineering Education

Technology Student A ssociation

For more information about accredited engineering programs, v isit

For more information about accredited engineering programs, v isit

A BET

O*NET
Marine A rchitects

Marine Engineers

Marine Engineers and Nav al A rchitects

Suggested citation:

Bu r ea u of La bor St a t ist ics, U.S. Depa r t m en t of La bor , Occupatio nal Outlo o k Handbo o k , 2016-17 Editio n, Ma r in e
En g in eer s a n d Na v a l A r ch it ect s,
on t h e In t er n et a t h t t p://w w w .bls.g ov /ooh /a r ch it ect u r e-a n d-en g in eer in g /m a r in e-en g in eer s-a n d-n a v a l-
a r ch it ect s.h t m (v isit ed January 12, 2016).

Pu blish Date: Thursday , December 1 7 , 201 5

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