Ship Engineers Salary
The median pay for a ship engineers in Oregon is $88,800/year ($42.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $168K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $86,685 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,555/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $89K get you in Oregon?
About ship engineers
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What this looks like in Oregon
Pay for ship engineers in Oregon runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $110K. Rent runs $1,555/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level ship engineers (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $168K or more, a $111K spread from bottom to top.
Ship Engineers salary by metro in Oregon
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $89K | +0% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track ship engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oregon numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ship engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oregon?
Yes — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for ship engineers in Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ship engineers typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,431/month. At HUD’s $1,555/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Oregon?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $89K here vs. $110K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for ship engineers?
Oregon pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $110K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do ship engineers make in Oregon?
The median is $88,800 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,180, and experienced ship engineers can clear $168,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,301/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 29.3% 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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median ship engineers salary is worth about $86,685 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.