Marine Engineer / Naval Architect salary
From 96 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 17-2121: Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 33% of Marine Engineer / Naval Architect filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: American Bureau of Shipping. 10 filings (10% of the total), median $126,837.
- Median up 24% since FY2020. From $93,047 in FY2020 to $115,000 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Marine Engineer / Naval Architect H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 96 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Marine Engineer / Naval Architect jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 17-2121, Marine Engineers and Naval Architects). The median base salary is $112,736, 8% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $92,000 and $130,833. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 33% of filings. Houston, TX has the most filings (30), and American Bureau of Shipping is the employer that files the most (10).
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Enter the base salary in your offer. We compare it with certified H-1B filings for Marine Engineer / Naval Architect jobs, nationally or in one metro area.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Marine Engineer / Naval Architect
Employers with the most Marine Engineer / Naval Architect filings. Bar: share of all Marine Engineer / Naval Architect filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 23% of filings
Mid-level · 33% of filings
Senior · 21% of filings
Expert · 23% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $82,507 | 22 |
| Level II · Qualified | $108,680 | 31 |
| Level III · Experienced | $123,153 | 20 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $150,000 | 22 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Marine Engineer / Naval Architect pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 3 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $129,570 | 30 |
| Miami, FL | $108,680 | 19 |
| New Orleans, LA | $92,000 | 11 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Marine Engineer / Naval Architect does
Design, develop, and evaluate the operation of marine vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment, such as power supply and propulsion systems.
Typical tasks
- Perform monitoring activities to ensure that ships comply with international regulations and standards for life-saving equipment and pollution preventatives.
- Design complete hull and superstructure according to specifications and test data, in conformity with standards of safety, efficiency, and economy.
- Conduct analyses of ships, such as stability, structural, weight, and vibration analyses.
- Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of craft, such as size, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft.
- Maintain contact with, and formulate reports for, contractors and clients to ensure completion of work at minimum cost.
- Coordinate activities with regulatory bodies to ensure repairs and alterations are at minimum cost and consistent with safety.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (17-2121.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Marine Engineers and Naval Architects), the median annual wage was $112,230 in May 2025, with 8,250 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $112,736, 0% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $79,345 | $83,010 |
| 25th percentile | $92,000 | $99,250 |
| Median | $112,736 | $112,230 |
| 75th percentile | $130,833 | $137,690 |
| 90th percentile | $154,828 | $173,330 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,345 |
| 25th | $92,000 |
| 50th (median) | $112,736 |
| 75th | $130,833 |
| 90th | $154,828 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $93,047 | $81,990 | $112,444 | 87 |
| FY2021 | $100,382 | $87,277 | $128,071 | 70 |
| FY2022 | $103,163 | $83,369 | $129,690 | 66 |
| FY2023 | $91,707 | $77,147 | $111,546 | 51 |
| FY2024 | $101,561 | $80,000 | $137,030 | 40 |
| FY2025 | $101,982 | $91,760 | $130,000 | 59 |
| FY2026 | $115,000 | $97,178 | $136,280 | 37 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Marine Engineer / Naval Architect make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Marine Engineer / Naval Architect jobs is $112,736 (96 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $92,000 and $130,833.
What does an entry-level Marine Engineer / Naval Architect earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $82,507. Level I accounts for 23% of Marine Engineer / Naval Architect filings.
Do H-1B Marine Engineer / Naval Architects earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($112,736) is 0% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($112,230, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.