Annual Salary
£24,000 to £55,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Marine careers or Port management or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Marine careers or Port management or go back to all job sectors
Marine engineers design, build and repair boats, ships, submarines, offshore platforms and drilling equipment.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
2.4% more Marine engineer jobs in 2027.
Depending on the industry you work in, you could:
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
You could work at a shipyard, in an office, on a ship, at a port or underwater.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers, physically demanding and you may spend nights away from home.
You can get into this job through:
You usually need to complete a foundation degree or degree to become a marine engineer. Courses include:
You'll usually need:
You might be able to do the Marine Engineer Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, then take further training on the job.
As a qualified engineer, you might be able to do a:Small Vessel Chief Engineer Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship; Marine Technical Superintendent Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship
You'll usually need:
You could start by training as a marine engineering technician with the Merchant Navy or Royal Navy.
You could then study for a marine engineering degree while working.
You can find more advice about careers in engineering from the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and British Marine.
With experience, you could:specialise in project management, research and development or consultancy; work on land to refit marine vessels; move into law and work on maritime engineering safety; move into shipping fleet management
You'll need: