Ship Engineer salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Ship Engineers in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area earn a median of $132,710 a year ($63.80 an hour), based on BLS data for 230 workers.
Pay ranges from $54,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $276,090 for the top 10%. That is 21% higher than the national median of $109,530. Pay here is 28% higher than the Louisiana statewide median of $103,430. There are 0.51 ship engineers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 9.4× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $151,960, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for ship engineers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $54,800 | $26.35 |
| 25th percentile | $78,630 | $37.80 |
| Median | $132,710 | $63.80 |
| 75th percentile | $232,090 | $111.58 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $276,090 | $132.74 |
| Average (mean) | $151,960 | $73.06 |
Half of ship engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $11,059.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,529.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,104.23 |
| Weekly | $2,552.12 |
| Hourly | $63.80 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $132,710 salary, see how much house you can afford in Louisiana at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Ship Engineer salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $100,260 | 150 |
Highest-paying states for ship engineers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $133,640 |
| Hawaii | $131,640 |
| Florida | $130,480 |
| Texas | $127,810 |
| Massachusetts | $122,720 |
| Indiana | $122,190 |
| Kentucky | $120,550 |
| Rhode Island | $119,330 |
| Connecticut | $119,010 |
| New Jersey | $118,310 |
See Ship Engineer pay in every state or the Louisiana statewide figures.
Related jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $121,710 | $58.51 |
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | $43,630 | $20.98 |
| Motorboat Operator | $49,230 | $23.67 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $36,380 | $17.49 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $34,830 | $16.74 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,540 | $24.78 |
| Light Truck Driver | $43,940 | $21.13 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $63,520 | $30.54 |
| Parking Attendant | $23,920 | $11.50 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $47,570 | $22.87 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $47,530 | $22.85 |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $48,860 | $23.49 |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | $46,360 | $22.29 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $28,560 | $13.73 |
More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · all salaries in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-5031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ship engineer make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median salary for ship engineers in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area is $132,710 a year, or $63.80 an hour. Pay ranges from $54,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $276,090 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid ship engineers make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The top 10% of ship engineers in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area earn at least $276,090 a year. The top 25% earn $232,090 or more.
What is the starting pay for ship engineers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $54,800 a year, and a quarter of ship engineers earn $78,630 or less.
How many ship engineers work in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
About 230 ship engineers are employed in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area, not counting the self-employed.