Ship Engineer salary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Ship Engineers in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn a median of $88,800 a year ($42.69 an hour), based on BLS data for 50 workers.
Pay ranges from $45,450 for the lowest-paid 10% to $168,360 for the top 10%. That is 19% lower than the national median of $109,530. Pay here is about the same as the Oregon statewide median of $88,800. There are 0.04 ship engineers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.69). The average (mean) salary is $96,540, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for ship engineers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,450 | $21.85 |
| 25th percentile | $88,800 | $42.69 |
| Median | $88,800 | $42.69 |
| 75th percentile | $109,640 | $52.71 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $168,360 | $80.94 |
| Average (mean) | $96,540 | $46.42 |
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 | $7,400 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,700 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,415.38 |
| Weekly | $1,707.69 |
| Hourly | $42.69 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $88,800 salary, see how much house you can afford in Oregon 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $108,900 | 580 |
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 Oregon statewide figures.
Related jobs in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $93,440 | $44.93 |
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | $63,900 | $30.72 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $44,440 | $21.37 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $46,100 | $22.17 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $63,800 | $30.67 |
| Light Truck Driver | $47,720 | $22.94 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $64,830 | $31.17 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $52,120 | $25.06 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $37,450 | $18.00 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $39,220 | $18.86 |
| Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | $36,420 | $17.51 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $62,190 | $29.90 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $46,330 | $22.28 |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $80,170 | $38.55 |
More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · all salaries in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median salary for ship engineers in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area is $88,800 a year, or $42.69 an hour. Pay ranges from $45,450 for the lowest-paid 10% to $168,360 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid ship engineers make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The top 10% of ship engineers in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn at least $168,360 a year. The top 25% earn $109,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for ship engineers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $45,450 a year, and a quarter of ship engineers earn $88,800 or less.
How many ship engineers work in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
About 50 ship engineers are employed in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, not counting the self-employed.