Ship Engineer Salary in Seattle, WA
Ship Engineers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $108,900 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $85,441 take-home, or $7,120 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median ship engineer salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$15,128
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,752
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,579
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$85,441
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Ship Engineer pay by experience in Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $61,530 | $29.58 | $51,619 | $4,302 |
| 25th percentile | $82,510 | $39.67 | $66,876 | $5,573 |
| Median (50th) | $108,900 | $52.36 | $85,441 | $7,120 |
| 75th percentile | $140,490 | $67.54 | $107,291 | $8,941 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $169,670 | $81.57 | $127,235 | $10,603 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $108,900 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median ship engineer's $85,441 take-home pay has the buying power of $76,882 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Seattle, WA has 5.2× the national concentration of ship engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for ship engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Seattle, WA ranks #5 of 6 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $131,260 | $100,982 | $102,386 |
| 2 | Jacksonville, FL | $130,600 | $100,531 | $101,053 |
| 3 | Miami, FL | $129,700 | $99,916 | $87,527 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $122,820 | $89,007 | $79,073 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $108,900 | $85,441 | $76,882 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $82,370 | $62,855 | $64,177 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 6 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ship engineer make in Seattle, WA?
The median ship engineer salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $108,900 a year, or about $52.36 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $82,510 and $140,490.
What is a ship engineer’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $108,900 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $85,441 a year ($7,120 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a ship engineer?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $109,530. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $76,882 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #5 of 6 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a ship engineer afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 28% of a median ship engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Seattle, WA
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — $229,900
- Air Traffic Controller — $175,280
- Commercial Pilot — $126,990
- Crane and Tower Operator — $114,330
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels — $109,080
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $83,430
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $76,390
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector — $75,090
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $71,240
- Sailor and Marine Oiler — $68,740
- Bus Drivers, School — $66,380
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $55,600