Marine engineers and naval architects
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Marine engineers and naval architects in the United States earn a median salary of $112,230 per year — about $54 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 9K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation involves digital design, complex mathematical modeling, and technical report writing, all of which are highly susceptible to AI-driven productivity gains and automation. While physical site visits to shipyards and offshore platforms provide a buffer, the shift toward AI-integrated CAD, automated performance testing, and generative design for hulls and machinery significantly reshapes the workflow.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVBEST VALUE | $159,700 | Above avg (108.9) | $146,670 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $144,120 | Average (98.6) | $146,123 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $132,250 | Average (100.9) | $131,083 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $140,520 | Above avg (115.6) | $121,543 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $135,270 | Above avg (114.2) | $118,497 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $128,610 | Above avg (111.1) | $115,726 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $113,940 | Above avg (104.5) | $109,047 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $97,310 | Below avg (90.0) | $108,115 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $107,020 | Average (99.5) | $107,575 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $118,100 | Above avg (111.9) | $105,553 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $104,850 | Average (101.9) | $102,937 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $106,250 | Above avg (105.6) | $100,609 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $112,230 | Above avg (112.6) | $99,704 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $108,200 | Above avg (111.0) | $97,512 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $103,170 | Above avg (113.6) | $90,846 |