Ship Engineer salary in Virginia
Ship Engineers in Virginia earn a median of $82,370 a year ($39.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,450 workers.
Pay ranges from $47,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $150,300 for the top 10%. That is 25% lower than the national median of $109,530. Virginia ranks 20th of 24 states for ship engineers pay. There are 0.35 ship engineers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 6.5× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $91,810, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for ship engineers in Virginia
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,420 | $22.80 |
| 25th percentile | $56,700 | $27.26 |
| Median | $82,370 | $39.60 |
| 75th percentile | $117,140 | $56.32 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $150,300 | $72.26 |
| Average (mean) | $91,810 | $44.14 |
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 | $6,864.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,432.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,168.08 |
| Weekly | $1,584.04 |
| Hourly | $39.60 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Ship Engineer salary in cities in Virginia
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $122,090 | 50 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $82,370 | 1,420 |
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 |
Related jobs in Virginia
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | $49,120 | $23.62 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $87,610 | $42.12 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $36,380 | $17.49 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $39,380 | $18.94 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,860 | $27.34 |
| Light Truck Driver | $42,450 | $20.41 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,920 | $22.56 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $62,130 | $29.87 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $50,190 | $24.13 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $37,180 | $17.88 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $34,450 | $16.56 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $35,000 | $16.83 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | $38,670 | $18.59 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $46,530 | $22.37 |
More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · all salaries in Virginia
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 Virginia?
The median salary for ship engineers in Virginia is $82,370 a year, or $39.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $47,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $150,300 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid ship engineers make in Virginia?
The top 10% of ship engineers in Virginia earn at least $150,300 a year. The top 25% earn $117,140 or more.
What is the starting pay for ship engineers in Virginia?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $47,420 a year, and a quarter of ship engineers earn $56,700 or less.
How many ship engineers work in Virginia?
About 1,450 ship engineers are employed in Virginia, not counting the self-employed.