SOC 53-5031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Ship Engineers — Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Median pay for this occupation in Virginia Beach, VA is $82,370 a year, trailing the national median of $109,530 by 24.8%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Virginia Beach, VA is $82,370 a year, trailing the national median of $109,530 by 24.8%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $56,700 and $116,040. The lowest tenth earn under $47,420, while the highest tenth earn more than $149,170.
The area has 1,420 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.9 of every thousand jobs. Of the 593 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 137th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $47,420 | −56.7% |
| 25th | $56,700 | −48.2% |
| Median (50th) | $82,370 | −24.8% |
| 75th | $116,040 | +5.9% |
| 90th | $149,170 | +36.2% |
| Mean | $91,010 | −16.9% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Virginia Beach sit close to the national average, so $82,370 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$82,370as reported by BLSLocal price level
101.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$81,474US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $82,370 a year, 24.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $47,420 to $149,170 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,420 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Ship Engineers in Virginia Beach, VA?
The median annual wage is $82,370, or $39.60 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $109,530, so pay in Virginia Beach, VA is 24.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Virginia Beach, VA earns more than $149,170 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $47,420 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,420 jobs in this occupation in Virginia Beach, VA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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