Also called: Chief Engineering Officer
The top engineer responsible for every engine, generator, pump, and system on a ship.
Down in a hot, loud engine room the size of a building, the chief engineer keeps a diesel engine as big as a house running across an ocean. They plan repairs, order spare parts, troubleshoot breakdowns far from any shipyard, and lead a team of engineers and oilers.
BLS median for ship engineers is about $101k; chief engineers on large union vessels earn well above that.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Marine Engineering degree from a maritime academy (USMMA Kings Point, Cal Maritime, Maine Maritime, Massachusetts Maritime, SUNY Maritime, Texas A&M Maritime Academy or Great Lakes Maritime Academy) plus a USCG Third Assistant Engineer license, upgraded over about 8-12 years to Chief Engineer. Navy engineers can transition.
Ways in: 4-year college, Apprenticeship, On-the-job training, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. Remote monitoring and predictive maintenance flag faults early; tearing down and fixing machinery mid-ocean stays hands-on.
Classes: Physics, Auto or small-engine CTE class, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-5031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.