Ship Engineers Salary
The median pay for a ship engineers in Florida is $130,480/year ($62.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $132,360 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,658/month, or 19.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $130K get you in Florida?
About ship engineers
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What this looks like in Florida
Florida sits well above the national pay line for ship engineers, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $110K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,658/month, 19.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Florida offers a genuinely strong financial position for ship engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level ship engineers (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $72K spread from bottom to top.
Ship Engineers salary by metro in Florida
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $131K | +0% | 450 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $130K | -1% | 640 |
Compare to other states
Track ship engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ship engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 19.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for ship engineers in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ship engineers typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,678/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is ship engineer a high-paying job in Florida?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $130K here vs. $110K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for ship engineers?
Florida pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $110K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $132K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ship engineers make in Florida?
The median is $130,480 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,970, and experienced ship engineers can clear $149,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,328/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 19.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a ship engineers salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median ship engineers salary is worth about $132,360 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do ship engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.