Design and evaluate ships, vessel machinery, propulsion, and offshore structures.
You may also see this posted as: Marine Engineer, Marine Surveyor, Naval Architect, Naval Architect Specialist, Marine Architect, Marine Design Engineer.
Engineering offices, shipyards, testing facilities, and docks.
Usually full-time; deadlines and sea trials may extend hours.
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Investigative
solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
O*NET job zone 4 of 5
High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Bachelor's degree
Training path: Bachelor's degree in marine engineering or naval architecture.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: None.
A professional engineer license may be required for some senior roles.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Designs ships, submarines, and offshore systems; this is the design path, not the onboard ship-engineer role.
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Standard Occupational Classification 17-2121. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.