Transportation and Material Moving
Ship Engineers
Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
Also called: Barge Engineer, Engineer, Ferry Engineer, Harbor Engineer, Port Engineer, Ship Engineer
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $126,630
- $60.88/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 90
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- +14.6%
- 10 openings a year
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Less than 5 years of related work experience
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $61,630 | $103,340 | $126,630 | $150,830 | $150,830 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
- Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.
- Monitor and test operations of engines or other equipment so that malfunctions and their causes can be identified.
- Start engines to propel ships, and regulate engines and power transmissions to control speeds of ships, according to directions from captains or bridge computers.
- Perform or participate in emergency drills, as required.
- Perform general marine vessel maintenance or repair work, such as repairing leaks, finishing interiors, refueling, or maintaining decks.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Lower exposure31 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 32
- Language-model AIOE 31
- GPTs-are-GPTs 30
Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)
AI exposure for ship engineers is lower, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools may help with watching engine indicators and spotting equipment problems from test data. Leading the engine crew, running drills, and making safety calls on board still depend on people.
Likely to change
- Engine and equipment indicator monitoring
- Spotting malfunctions from test readings
Still relies on people
- Leading the engine room crew
- Emergency drills and emergency response
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Related occupations
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Power Plant Operators
- Sailors and Marine Oilers
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
- Avionics Technicians
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Talk to a career coach
A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.
Talk to a career coach