Ship Engineers pay range in Boston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $150,830 or more. The middle half of ship engineers in Boston earn between $103,340 and $150,830.
- $62K10th
- $103K25th
- $127KMedian
- $151K75th
- $151K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $124,760 | $10,397 | $59.98 |
| Median | $126,630 | $10,552 | $60.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $103,340 | $8,612 | $49.68 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $150,830 | $12,569 | $72.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Ship Engineers pay in Boston vs. Massachusetts and the U.S.
Ship engineers in Boston earn 3% more than the Massachusetts average ($120,690) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($111,790). At the median the gap is +16% against the U.S. median of $109,530.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $124,760 | $126,630 | $61,630 | $150,830 | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $120,690 | $122,720 | $81,580 | $150,830 | 150 |
| United States | $111,790 | $109,530 | $57,870 | $165,490 | 8,400 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Ship Engineers salary after taxes in Boston
On the average salary of $124,760, a single filer in Boston takes home about $90,621 a year, or $7,552 a month and $3,485 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NH | $96,539 | $8,045 |
| Working in MA | $90,621 | $7,552 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Boston a good place for ship engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boston area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.3), so the average $124,760 buys what about $115,235 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Ship Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Providence, RI$117,700
- New York, NY$126,400
- Washington, DC$113,840
- Pittsburgh, PA$77,670
- Virginia Beach, VA$91,010
- Charleston, SC$96,430
Highest-paying cities for ship engineers
New Orleans, LA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($151,960).
- New Orleans, LA$151,960
- Honolulu, HI$135,380
- San Francisco, CA$130,570
- Houston, TX$127,070
- New York, NY$126,400
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Ship Engineers salary in Boston: questions
How much do ship engineers make an hour in Boston?
$59.98 an hour on average, and $60.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level ship engineers salary in Boston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the ship engineers take-home pay in Boston?
About $90,621 a year ($7,552 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $124,760. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do ship engineers earn more in Boston than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($111,790).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-5031; area Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.64, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.64).
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