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Engineering

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 salary (BLS)

$112,230

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$83k – $173k

Job outlook

+6% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $99,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$40,175–$150,500

Time to qualify

4.2 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    FE exam (optional — PE track)

    Certification

    The Fundamentals of Engineering exam is the first step toward a PE license; many engineering roles never need it.

    $175–$500 · 2 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Marine Engineers and Naval Architects" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects Intern

    Internship

    $41,505

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

    Entry / Junior

    $83,010

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

    Established

    $112,230

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

    Senior

    $142,780

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Perform monitoring activities to ensure that ships comply with international regulations and standards for life-saving equipment and pollution preventatives.
  • •Design complete hull and superstructure according to specifications and test data, in conformity with standards of safety, efficiency, and economy.
  • •Conduct analyses of ships, such as stability, structural, weight, and vibration analyses.
  • •Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of craft, such as size, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft.
  • •Maintain contact with, and formulate reports for, contractors and clients to ensure completion of work at minimum cost.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Engineering

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.