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SOC 17-2121
On this page, marine engineers and naval architects refers to O*NET 17-2121.00: workers who design, develop, and evaluate the operation of vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment such as power and propulsion systems, including titles such as marine engineer and ship designer.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+75+25)/3+0.5)=58; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
The core work of marine engineers and naval architects is to balance safety, efficiency, and economy in ships and marine systems: study designs and specifications to determine basic characteristics such as dimensions, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft; design hulls and superstructures using standards and test data; analyze stability, structures, weight, and vibration; arrange engine rooms and functional equipment for propulsion, ventilation, refrigeration, and piping; design interior layouts; prepare technical reports, proposals, schedules, and contract documents; participate in dock and sea trials and evaluate machinery and equipment performance; and monitor compliance with international regulations and pollution-prevention standards.
The following judgments concern marine engineers and naval architects' engineering and design practices. They do not predict hiring, registration, qualification, or contract outcomes.
Sample output and reflection: check whether intended use and standards were defined first, data sources and assumptions were explained, comparable options and trade-offs were provided, and validation and compliance boundaries were stated. Then ask yourself whether you can make engineering trade-offs between safety, performance, and cost, communicate with shipowners, shipyards, classification societies, and regulators, and accept responsibility for design conclusions and consequences.
The fixed occupation name on this page corresponds to ONet17-2121.00 Marine Engineers and Naval Architects, focusing on the design, development, and engineering evaluation of vessels, hulls, and machinery / propulsion systems. Naval architecture here means ship design, covering civilian and military vessels rather than only naval buildings. Design engineering responsibilities must be distinguished from ship engineers who supervise machinery operation aboard vessels. Tasks include stability / structural / weight / vibration analysis, system layouts, technical and contract documents, dock and sea trials, and regulatory compliance monitoring, according to project subjects and authorization.
Career direction comparison
The following compares marine engineers and naval architects with adjacent roles by actual subjects, core deliverables, and professional boundaries. Qualifications are not interchangeable based on titles.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | Architectural and engineering managers oversee projects, teams, and budgets; marine engineers and naval architects design and analyze vessels and marine systems. Their responsibilities differ. | Oversee projects, teams, and budgets. | Compare if you prefer engineering management. |
| Aerospace Engineers | Aerospace engineers work with aircraft and spacecraft; marine engineers and naval architects work with vessels and marine structures. Their operating media, standards, and design constraints differ. |
AI impact on this career
Editorial task hypothesis: validated CAD, calculation, or simulation tools may support vessel analysis, while generative AI may draft documents using fictional materials. Traditional CFD / structural simulation is not equivalent to generative AI. No occupational adoption rates or job outcomes were obtained. Verify standards versions, boundary conditions, engineering calculations, and tests; automated text cannot replace approved designs or statutory certificates. AI Impact Score 58% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+75+25)/3+0.5)=58; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Scope: National Bureau of Statistics 2025 average annual wages for manufacturing employees are 113,594 yuan / year in urban non-private units and 76,055 yuan / year in urban private units; the nationwide total for urban non-private units is 129,441 yuan / year. All are industry measures, not this occupation's median or starting pay.
Category boundary: the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security publishes enterprise compensation survey information by occupation / position, which can be used to look up ship and marine engineering pay. This page did not obtain an entry matching O*NET 17-2121.00 exactly, so it is not used as a nationwide occupational median. Refer to competent authority publications for specifics.
Only average annual wages are published
Only average annual wages are published
U.S. salary reference
The 2025 US nationwide median wage for this occupation is 112,230 dollars annually and 53.96 dollars hourly; full percentiles are listed separately as in the original table. Older employment facts retain 8,500 employed in 2024 and the 2024—2034 projection; 600 is average annual openings. Latest BLS figures are 8,400 employed in 2025, 7% growth in 2025—2035, and 500 average annual openings. Old and new coverage periods differ and cannot be combined or used to infer individual hiring outcomes.
| Percentile | Annual reference | Hourly equivalent | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| P10 | $83,010 / year | $39.91 / hour | 2025 US nationwide occupational percentiles; not seniority or a conversion of individual working hours. |
Fit signals
To assess fit, consider whether you can translate vessel and system requirements into verifiable designs and analyses, balance safety, performance, and economy, read standards and test data and assess compliance, communicate with shipowners, shipyards, classification societies, and regulators, and keep learning vessel types and regulations. Tools such as RIASEC can only propose hypotheses and cannot replace real task experience.
Positive signals： Positive signals: structured engineering analysis, standards- and data-based judgment, design trade-offs under multiple constraints, communication and coordination across parties, responsibility for design consequences, and continuous learning.
Reasons for caution： Reasons for caution: difficulty quantifying ambiguous needs, skipping standards and data verification, unwillingness to communicate and advance work at shipyards and test sites, or difficulty handling safety and compliance pressure.
Trial activity： Trial activity: using entirely fictional design requirements and test data, rehearse key design points, an analysis framework, option comparisons, and validation boundaries, and ask someone else to review them against the records.
Risks and boundaries
Handle risks by their triggers, consequences, controls, and escalation boundaries.
Based on O*NET 17-2121.00 tasks and work context and specific requirements concerning stability and structures, standards and compliance, test interpretation, costs and schedules, and professional boundaries. Check specific rules against employer procedures and applicable regulations without extrapolating across scopes.
Typical scenario：Insufficient stability or structural analysis.
Roles most affected：Design and analysis roles
Possible consequence：May affect vessel and personnel safety.
How to reduce risk：Analyze and review according to standards.
Evidence：O*NET 17-2121.00 Tasks
Entry pathways
ONet's new-hire education responses for this occupation report 53% bachelor's degree, 16% postsecondary certificate, and 11% some college without a degree. Postsecondary does not mean after an associate degree. Job Zone4 describes group preparation, not proof that every entry role requires years of experience. BLS says this occupation typically requires a bachelor's degree in marine engineering / naval architecture or a related field. Check specific majors and employer requirements.
Market signals
Retain older employment of 8,500 in 2024 and 600 projected average annual openings in 2024—2034. Latest BLS figures are 8,400 employed in 2025, 7% growth in 2025—2035, and 500 average annual openings. Statistics for a small occupation cannot replace hiring samples, individual hiring outcomes, or evidence of general growth in design positions.
US nationwide · Display scope: Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (17-2121.00)
The main industries on that page for 2024 are Manufacturing and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services. Employment and openings are statistical projections and must be interpreted separately from individual opportunities.
Employment size and change
Employment size, change, and job openings must be interpreted separately.
Does not establish：Occupational statistics cannot guarantee individual employment.
On this page, marine engineers and naval architects refers to O*NET 17-2121.00: workers who design, develop, and evaluate the operation of vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment such as power and propulsion systems. Tasks include designing hulls and superstructures according to standards, analyzing stability / structures / weight / vibration, arranging engine rooms and propulsion equipment, designing interior layouts, preparing technical and contract documents, participating in dock and sea trials, and monitoring compliance. Work mainly takes place in offices, shipyards, and test sites. This occupation is distinct from architectural and engineering managers, aerospace engineers, civil engineers, electrical engineers, or industrial engineers.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
This is an entirely fictional vessel design scenario check, not a personality diagnosis, hiring conclusion, or qualification assessment.
Entirely fictional task package: provide fictional vessel design requirements and test data, including 1 specification and intended-use brief, 1 set of stability and weight data, and 1 layout constraint to resolve. Within 60 minutes, write key design points, a stability and structural analysis framework, two layout or propulsion options with trade-off rationales, validation and compliance points, and risks. Do not use real shipowner, classification society, or classified data.
Check first: intended use and standards, design and test data scope, classification society and regulatory requirements, cost and schedule constraints, safety and compliance boundaries, and the evidence strength and authorization supporting conclusions.
End-to-end work: define intended use and standards, collect data, analyze stability, structures, and performance, develop and compare options, prepare technical documents and drawings, validate through construction and testing, and assess compliance. Do not conclude before standards or data scope are confirmed, or deliver before testing and compliance requirements are met.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Complete workflow | From defining intended use to test validation | |
| Step one | Define intended use and standards | |
| Step two | Collect design and test data | |
| Step three | Analyze stability, structures, and performance | |
| Step four | Develop and compare design options | |
| Step five | Prepare technical documents and drawings | |
| Step six | Validate through construction and testing and assess compliance |
Inputs: vessel purposes and specifications, design and test data, standards and classification society requirements, stability and structural calculations, engine rooms and propulsion and auxiliary systems, compartment and layout constraints, cost and schedule requirements, and contract and regulatory documents.
Checkable outputs: hull and superstructure designs, stability and structural analysis conclusions, functional equipment and piping layouts, interior layout options, technical and contract documents, test and acceptance results, compliance and pollution-prevention explanations, and design and change records.
Complete workflow: define intended use and standards → collect design and test data → analyze stability, structures, and performance → develop and compare design options → prepare technical documents and drawings → validate through construction and testing → assess compliance and track changes.
In the United States, this occupation is in Job Zone 4. Most positions require a four-year bachelor's degree and typically several years of related experience. Classification society, safety, and registration-related conclusions must be issued by qualified personnel or organizations. This page does not judge individual eligibility.
Work subjects and AI boundaries for marine engineers and naval architects Editorial task hypothesis: validated CAD, calculation, or simulation tools may support vessel analysis, while generative AI may draft documents using fictional materials. Traditional CFD / structural simulation is not equivalent to generative AI. No occupational adoption rates or job outcomes were obtained. Verify standards versions, boundary conditions, engineering calculations, and tests; automated text cannot replace approved designs or statutory certificates.
| Work with aircraft and spacecraft. |
| Compare if you prefer aerospace aerodynamics and structures. |
| Civil Engineers | Civil engineers handle land-based buildings and infrastructure; marine engineers and naval architects handle vessels and marine structures, including specialized issues such as stability, propulsion, and corrosion protection. | Handle land-based buildings and infrastructure. | Compare if you prefer land-based infrastructure. |
|---|
| Electrical Engineers | Electrical engineers handle electrical systems and equipment; marine engineers and naval architects handle overall vessels and system integration. Specialized electrical conclusions require collaboration with electrical engineering. | Handle electrical systems and equipment. | Compare if you prefer electrical systems. |
|---|
First use a reviewable design and analysis deliverable to validate requirements definition, data scope, and option boundaries, then assess your direction. Do not assign a single ranking based on income or personality.
Next, turn the comparison into a small design exercise that can be stopped.
Describe only specific steps tools may assist; do not treat demonstrations as organizational adoption.
Check data sources, system reliability, and review responsibilities; this page has no occupation-specific adoption rate.
Without occupational job-outcome research, do not infer layoff timing, staffing changes, or hiring probability.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and analysis | Analyze stability, structures, and performance | Editorial hypothesis: retrieval and drafting may receive assistance, but original standards and test records must be checked. Software skills or simulation capabilities do not demonstrate AI adoption or effectiveness. | Check standards and data assumptions. |
| Options and documents | Develop design options and prepare documents | May assist with drafting | Use standards, data scope, and safety compliance as the basis, retaining human judgment and records. |
| Testing and validation | Participate in and evaluate dock and sea trials | No automated decisions | Engineering personnel check tests; statutory inspections are handled by the flag state or its authorized parties according to the actual task. |
| Compliance and responsibility | Assess compliance with regulations and pollution-prevention requirements | Cannot replace responsibility-based judgment | Confirmed by qualified personnel. |
Occupational sources describe actual tasks and subjects: hulls and systems, stability and structures, testing and compliance, contracts and drawings. Tool capabilities, organizational adoption, and job outcomes are recorded separately; wage or employment data is not used as AI evidence.
Editorial comparison: standards retrieval or document drafts may receive assistance; use depends on versions, data permissions, and method validation. Stability, structural, and performance calculations still require applicable models and independent review. Tool output does not establish compliance.
AI primarily changesMay assist with organizing data / calculations; validate simulation and generative AI separately.
Human responsibility remainsDefining standards and judging conclusions
AI primarily changesMay draft documents; drawings, parameters, and supporting standards require engineering review.
Human responsibility remainsTrade-offs and responsibility
Human control points: define intended use and standards, judge analysis assumptions and data, balance safety, performance, and economy, take responsibility for test and compliance conclusions, and follow engineering ethics and authorization boundaries.
Confirm intended use, standards, and data scope.
Design only within engineering and safety boundaries.
Review assumptions, calculations, and tests.
Promptly report compliance and safety risks.
May affect vessel and personnel safety.
Control: Analyze and review according to standards.
May affect seaworthiness and legality.
Control: Check classification society and regulatory requirements.
May lead to misjudgment.
Control: Interpret test data carefully and review it.
Practice understanding standards and basic analysis.
Retain original design / testing support; do not submit client drawings or vessel-type information to external AI without authorization.
Define standards scope and validation procedures first.
Task exposure, adoption, and job outcomes measure different things and cannot establish a date for job cuts.
Source: O*NET 17-2121.00 TasksOriginal source ↗
Only task hypotheses are listed; no occupational adoption or sequencing research was obtained. Verify testing, design approval, and certification authority separately.
Source: O*NET 17-2121.00 TasksOriginal source ↗
There is no occupational adoption-rate source, so this page provides no such figures.
Source: O*NET 17-2121.00 Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (Summary)Original source ↗
First conduct an offline exercise using entirely fictional design requirements and test data. Write key design points, an analysis framework, options, and validation boundaries without relying on unverified automated calculations to replace engineering judgment.
Insufficient evidence: no safely matched distribution obtained
Exact Chinese occupational wages were not obtained. Manufacturing averages provide only corresponding unit context, do not replace occupational medians, and exclude individually owned businesses and freelancers.
| Role scope | Reference value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
113,594 yuan / year
76,055 yuan / year
129,441 yuan / year
Insufficient evidence: no nationwide occupational median wage, reference period, or statistical scope was obtained for marine engineers and naval architects in mainland China. This page displays only an industry proxy labeled as such; neither proxy figures nor US figures fill the gap.
| P25 | $99,250 / year | $47.71 / hour | 2025 US nationwide occupational percentiles; not seniority or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
| P50 (median) | $112,230 / year | $53.96 / hour | 2025 US nationwide occupational percentiles; not seniority or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
| P75 | $137,690 / year | $66.20 / hour | 2025 US nationwide occupational percentiles; not seniority or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
| P90 | $173,330 / year | $83.33 / hour | 2025 US nationwide occupational percentiles; not seniority or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
Wages · Median：$112,230 / year (2025)；O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · Hourly median：$53.96 / hour (2025)；O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · Lowest 10%：$83,010 / year (P10, 2025)；O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · P90 percentile：$173,330 / year (P90, 2025)；O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · Statistical scope：Marine Engineers and Naval Architects（17-2121.00）；O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Full 2025 nationwide annual / hourly wage percentiles for this occupation, not starting pay or take-home income.
Employment count in 2024, not the number of vacancies being recruited for.
Treat older 2024—2034 and latest 2025—2035 versions separately. The latest shows 7% growth and 500 average annual openings, not individual hiring outcomes.
Listed as manufacturing and professional, scientific, and technical services under O*NET / BLS industry scope; does not equal income for all practitioners.
| Industry | Median annual wage (dollars / year) | How to interpret |
|---|---|---|
| Water transportation | $128,770 / year | May 2025, this US occupation; not individual income or starting pay. |
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $124,760 / year | May 2025, this US occupation; not individual income or starting pay. |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $118,630 / year | May 2025, this US occupation; not individual income or starting pay. |
| Ship and boat building | $104,800 / year | May 2025, this US occupation; not individual income or starting pay. |
ONet's survey reports 53% bachelor's degree, 16% postsecondary certificate, and 11% some college without a degree; not a Job Zone4 group threshold. Check PE, mariner credentials, and statutory inspection authority separately.
Check vessel types, standards, design / testing deliverables, and specific employer requirements; no comparison of the hiring weights of validated results and certificates was obtained.
Strongly affected by shipbuilding, shipping, and marine engineering distribution; do not extrapolate across regions.
Check with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
The O*NET interest code is RIC (Realistic–Investigative–Conventional), emphasizing hands-on practice, research and analysis, and organizing information according to procedures. These labels describe activity preferences only and cannot determine competence or qualifications.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
General personality measures such as the Big Five do not provide job evidence for this occupation and can only support self-reflection. Continue checking through real vessel design analysis, test validation, and multi-party communication experiences.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Type-based tools such as MBTI and the Enneagram cannot determine competence or qualifications and can only support self-reflection.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialFits better when: Can translate intended use into design requirements.
Watch for: Standards and classification societies must be checked.
Fits better when: Can perform stability and structural calculations.
Watch for: Assumptions and data must be checked.
Fits better when: Can arrange engine rooms and functional systems.
Watch for: Interfaces and space must be checked.
Fits better when: Can participate in dock and sea trials and interpret results.
Watch for: Compliance and safety must be checked.
Fits better when: Can prepare technical and contract documents.
Watch for: Terms and scope must be checked.
Fits better when: Can collaborate with shipowners, shipyards, and regulators.
Watch for: Conflicts between interests and standards must be handled.
Use this page's work sample to check requirements definition.
Check assumptions and data against methodological requirements.
Assess trade-off and judgment skills.
Check sources first and mark uncertainty.
Assess testing and validation skills.
Assess responsibility and engineering ethics awareness.
Use design and validation records to enable review by others.
Complete an exercise using entirely fictional design requirements and test data.
Typical scenario：Classification society or regulatory requirements are unmet.
Roles most affected：Design and compliance roles
Possible consequence：May affect seaworthiness and legality.
How to reduce risk：First check vessel type, flag, and applicable instruments. Confirm engineering design, classification requirements, and statutory inspection / certification separately; do not treat an engineer's recommendations as statutory certificates.
Evidence：IMO Surveys, Verification, and Certification
Typical scenario：Insufficient test-data interpretation or validation.
Roles most affected：Testing and validation roles
Possible consequence：May lead to incorrect design judgments.
How to reduce risk：Interpret test data carefully and review it.
Evidence：O*NET 17-2121.00 Tasks
Typical scenario：Cost or schedule pressure affects quality.
Roles most affected：Design and project roles
Possible consequence：May affect delivery and safety.
How to reduce risk：Manage scope and priorities and retain records.
Evidence：O*NET 17-2121.00 Tasks
Typical scenario：Issuing conclusions beyond professional or authorization boundaries.
Roles most affected：Engineering judgment roles
Possible consequence：May violate engineering standards and responsibility requirements.
How to reduce risk：Check personal engineering qualifications, organizational recognition, and task authorization. Statutory certificates are issued by the flag state or its authorized parties. Handover still requires retaining your own engineering responsibilities and records.
Evidence：IMO Surveys, Verification, and Certification
Typical scenario：Shipowner, shipyard, and regulatory requirements or data differ.
Roles most affected：Design and coordination roles
Possible consequence：May cause rework or compliance risks.
How to reduce risk：First verify and record discrepancies, then decide whether to continue or escalate.
Evidence：O*NET 17-2121.00 Tasks
Typical scope：Entry stage: practice understanding standards and data, basic analysis and drawing, learning systems and equipment, and documentation under supervision. Learn safety and compliance requirements and retain process records.
Readiness evidence：Evidence to show: use a reviewable design or analysis deliverable covering requirements definition, data scope, analysis conclusions, and option comparisons to demonstrate structured engineering analysis and accurate documentation.
Credential boundary：Verify education and employer requirements.
Next moves：Next step: check the target employer's vessel types and standards, classification society and regulatory constraints, analytical tools, and testing conditions. Validate design, analysis, and verification capabilities through real projects under supervision.
Typical scope：Independently design and analyze, with work subject to review.
Readiness evidence：Retain design and validation records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Moving toward greater responsibility: with experience, workers may oversee end-to-end vessel-type or system design, train newcomers and establish systematic methods, or move into project management, technical management, and inspection.
Typical scope：Handle complex vessel types and system integration.
Readiness evidence：Retain complex-project and validation records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add complex-project and training evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee standards, compliance, and technical direction.
Readiness evidence：Retain standards and compliance records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add governance and technical evidence.
Typical scope：Participate in marine machinery and system analysis under supervision.
Readiness evidence：Retain analysis records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Build marine machinery and system knowledge.
Typical scope：Independently oversee propulsion and auxiliary systems.
Readiness evidence：Retain system and validation records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add system integration evidence.
Typical scope：Handle complex systems and interfaces.
Readiness evidence：Retain complex-system records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add evidence of a systematic technical approach.
Typical scope：Participate in projects and inspections under supervision.
Readiness evidence：Retain project and inspection records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Build project and inspection foundations.
Typical scope：Perform tasks within approved project or inspection authorization. Engineering design experience does not automatically grant statutory certification authority.
Readiness evidence：Retain tasks and records.
Credential boundary：Check personal qualifications, employing-organization recognition, and flag-state task-specific authorization separately.
Next moves：Add standards and procedure evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee multi-party coordination and compliance checks.
Readiness evidence：Retain coordination and compliance records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Add management and compliance evidence.
Confirm intended use, standards, and data scope.
Design, analyze, and validate according to methods.
Produce reviewable design and validation records.
Expand vessel-type and system responsibilities within authorized scope.
US nationwide · Display scope: Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (17-2121.00)
About 600 openings / year (older version)
Projected average annual job openings
Average annual openings in the older 2024—2034 projection, including replacements; not a ten-year total. The latest 2025—2035 average of 500 is listed separately.
Does not establish：Cannot represent an individual's probability of being hired.
US nationwide · Display scope: Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (17-2121.00)
$112,230 / year
Median annual wage
The BLS 2025 OEWS nationwide median, not starting pay or take-home income.
Does not establish：Full 2025 percentiles were obtained; they do not include individual take-home income or seniority conclusions.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Transferable capabilities: standards and data analysis, stability and structural calculations, system and layout design, drawing and documentation, testing and validation, multi-party communication, and project management.
Build next：First target, architectural and engineering manager: add records of budget / resource management, hiring and performance management, project portfolios, and technical team management. Ship design analysis or project communication does not automatically demonstrate management responsibility. Separately check the engineering domain of the target management role.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in engineering analysis and validation.
Build next：Add aerodynamics and aircraft structures.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in structural and engineering analysis.
Build next：Add the target civil structures, foundations / materials, and local design standards, and check qualifications against specific professional sign-off requirements. Hull-structure experience cannot directly replace these.
View career profileTransfers：System-interface and design-validation experience; do not assume every ship design engineer has in-depth electrical design expertise.
Build next：Develop deeper electrical design skills.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in systems and efficiency.
Build next：Add production-system methods.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in mechanical design and thermodynamics.
Build next：Develop deeper mechanical design skills.
View career profileArchitectural and engineering managers oversee projects and teams; aerospace engineers work with aircraft; civil engineers handle land-based structures; electrical engineers handle electrical systems; industrial engineers handle production systems. Marine engineers and naval architects focus on designing and analyzing vessels and marine systems. Compare subjects, standards, operating media, and professional boundaries to distinguish them.
Observable signals: structured engineering analysis, standards- and data-based judgment, design trade-offs under multiple constraints, communication and coordination across parties, and responsibility for design consequences. O*NET interest code RIC describes activity preferences only and cannot determine competence or qualifications.
Tools for stability and structural simulation, performance calculations, drawing and document generation, and standards and test-data retrieval may assist analysis, layout optimization, and drafting. People remain responsible for defining requirements and standards, option trade-offs, test judgments, compliance conclusions, and safety. This page presents tool uses only as task hypotheses, not evidence of widespread organizational adoption.
Human responsibilities include defining intended use and standards, judging analysis assumptions and data, balancing safety, performance, and economy, taking responsibility for test and compliance conclusions, and following engineering ethics and authorization boundaries.
The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average annual wages for urban-unit employees by industry category without separately listing this occupation, so a safely matched nationwide occupational median cannot be established. This page displays only industry proxies labeled as such: in 2025, manufacturing paid 113,594 yuan / year in urban non-private units and 76,055 yuan / year in urban private units, while the nationwide total for urban non-private units was 129,441 yuan / year. None equals this occupation's median or starting pay. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's enterprise compensation survey information is provided as a lookup entry point.
The O*NET page displays a 2025 BLS OEWS median annual wage of 112,230 dollars, approximately 53.96 dollars / hour, for occupation 17-2121.00. That page does not display percentile wages. These are US nationwide statistics, not individual take-home income or starting pay.
In the United States, this occupation is in Job Zone 4. Most positions require a four-year bachelor's degree, some require a certificate after an associate degree, and several years of related experience are typically needed. Classification society, safety, and registration-related conclusions must be issued by qualified personnel or organizations. Mainland China: there is no unified occupational qualification exactly corresponding to this O*NET occupation; check employer and industry requirements.
Main risks include stability and structural safety, standards and compliance, test and data interpretation, cost and schedules, and authorization and professional boundaries. Controls include standards-based design and analysis with review, checking classification society and regulatory requirements, interpreting test data carefully, managing costs and schedules, and handing matters beyond scope to qualified personnel. Check specific rules against employer procedures and applicable regulations.
O*NET cites BLS data showing about 8,500 employed in this occupation in 2024, projected above-average growth of 5% to 6% in 2024—2034, and about 600 job openings during the period. These are occupational statistics, not an individual's probability of being hired.
If you can translate vessel and system requirements into verifiable designs and analyses, a low-cost exercise using entirely fictional design requirements and test data is worthwhile. Moving into aerospace, civil, or electrical engineering requires additional evidence of the corresponding expertise and qualifications.
Evidence for China, the United States, and individual organizations is presented separately. Conclusions on wages, employment, qualifications / credentials, safety, and AI must not be combined across scopes. The marine engineers and naval architects page provides occupational judgment and design exercise information and does not replace local laws, classification society standards, or other professional advice. Any statement of insufficient evidence means only that safely matched data was not established within a bounded search; proxies or memory are not used to fabricate figures.
FermatMind research workflow
2025 BLS OEWS wage data; accessed 2026-09-25
O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Limitations：Applies only to 17-2121.00 and the US market; does not establish a mapping to China.
Limitations：Task examples do not mean every position performs every task; they do not establish a mapping to China.
Limitations：US work context does not replace Chinese law or employer procedures.
Limitations：This page does not display percentile wages; the median does not represent starting pay or individual take-home income.
Limitations：Projections are not a hiring guarantee; above average does not mean individual opportunities necessarily increase.
Limitations：Industry distribution signals employer settings, not projected growth or demand.
Limitations：Education distribution does not establish a mandatory requirement for every employer; it does not establish a mapping to China.
Limitations：Certification and training do not equal a scope of practice or employer hiring; check the applicable jurisdiction.
Limitations：Task exposure does not equal implemented automation, adoption, or layoffs; individual outcomes are not inferred.
Limitations：Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individually owned businesses and freelancers; no nationwide wage distribution matching the exact occupation was established.
Limitations：Covers urban enterprises, excluding government agencies and public institutions; this page did not obtain an exact occupational match and does not use it as a nationwide median.
Limitations：An editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or licensing.
Limitations：Use within US occupational statistics and applicable maritime authorization scope; does not establish Chinese wages or all individual practice licenses.
Limitations：Use within US occupational statistics and applicable maritime authorization scope; does not establish Chinese wages or all individual practice licenses.
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Check source scope, limitations, and statistical periods separately against the original evidence. Source usage notes: O*NET 17-2121.00 Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (Summary): provides occupational identity, the official description, interest code, Job Zone, skills, and knowledge for 17-2121.00. Wage and employment data on that page cover this occupation. O*NET 17-2121.00 Tasks: provides tasks including hull and superstructure design, stability and structural analysis, compliance monitoring, engine-room and system layouts, interior layout design, technical and contract documents, and participation in dock and sea trials. Task examples do not mean every position performs every task. O*NET 17-2121.00 Work Context: describes offices and shipyards / test sites, frequent communication and decision-making, confined spaces, outdoor work, and other contexts. US work context does not replace Chinese law or employer procedures. O*NET 17-2121.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display): 2025 BLS OEWS median wages for this occupation. This page does not display percentile wages. O*NET 17-2121.00 National Employment Trends: employment in 2024 and projections for growth and job openings in 2024—2034. Projections are not a hiring guarantee. Industries: 17-2121.00: the main industries on that page for 2024 are Manufacturing and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services. Industry distribution signals employer settings, not projected growth or demand. O*NET 17-2121.00 Education and Occupational Preparation: Job Zone 4; most positions require a four-year bachelor's degree, some require a certificate after an associate degree, and several years of related work or training are typically needed. Education distribution does not establish mandatory requirements for every employer. Licenses & Certifications: 17-2121.00: O*NET provides state licensing and national certification lookup entry points. Certification and training do not equal authorization to practice or employer hiring requirements. Generative AI and Jobs (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025): assesses occupational exposure to generative AI at the task level. An exposure index is not an adoption rate, job outcome, or hiring probability. Average Annual Wages of Employees in Urban Units in 2025: provides average annual wages by industry category for urban non-private and private units, including manufacturing. Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individually owned businesses and freelancers. Enterprise Compensation Survey Information (2024): the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's enterprise compensation survey information provides a pay lookup entry point by occupation / position. Covers urban enterprises, excluding government agencies and public institutions; this page did not obtain an exact occupational match. FermatMind Task Impact Scale for Marine Engineers and Naval Architects: organizes potentially assisted tasks and human control points for task-level AI and fit discussions. An editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or licensing.
Typical scope：Oversee standards and interdisciplinary coordination.
Readiness evidence：Retain standards and coordination records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add coordination and governance evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee project portfolios and teams.
Readiness evidence：Retain project portfolio records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add strategy and governance evidence.
