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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Part of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, in the Engineering and Technology pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 4: considerable preparationO*NET 17-2121.00

What the work is

Design, develop, and evaluate the operation of marine vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment, such as power supply and propulsion systems.

On a typical day

  • Design complete hull and superstructure according to specifications and test data, in conformity with standards of safety, efficiency, and economy.
  • Supervise other engineers and crew members and train them for routine and emergency duties.
  • Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of craft, such as size, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft.
  • Perform monitoring activities to ensure that ships comply with international regulations and standards for life-saving equipment and pollution preventatives.
  • Oversee construction and testing of prototype in model basin and develop sectional and waterline curves of hull to establish center of gravity, ideal hull form, and buoyancy and stability data.
  • Evaluate performance of craft during dock and sea trials to determine design changes and conformance with national and international standards.

What it pays

$152,780
Median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure published)
New workers start near $93,180
Experienced workers reach $230,020
  1. $93k10th
  2. $119k25th
  3. $153kMedian
  4. $190k75th
  5. $230k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $93,180, 25th $119,270, Median $152,780, 75th $189,640, 90th $230,020

Job outlook

U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.

+6%

U.S. employment change

600

openings a year nationwide, from growth and people leaving

8,500

employed nationwide in 2024

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Reading Comprehension4.5
  2. Critical Thinking4.5
  3. Speaking4.1
  4. Active Listening4.0
  5. Writing4.4
  6. Complex Problem Solving4.1
  7. Mathematics4.3
  8. Monitoring3.9

Alamo programs that lead here

No Alamo program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.

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Does this fit you?

Six questions rank every career here by how closely its interest profile follows yours.

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