Ship Engineer Salary in Virginia Beach, VA
Ship Engineers in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn a median $82,370 a year — 25% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $62,855 take-home, or $5,238 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median ship engineer salary in Virginia Beach, VA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,291
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,107
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,194
- Virginia income tax$3,922
- Take-home pay$62,855
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.75% state
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro spans Virginia, North Carolina. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Ship Engineer pay by experience in Virginia Beach, VA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,420 | $22.80 | $38,369 | $3,197 |
| 25th percentile | $56,700 | $27.26 | $45,292 | $3,774 |
| Median (50th) | $82,370 | $39.60 | $62,855 | $5,238 |
| 75th percentile | $116,040 | $55.79 | $84,606 | $7,050 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $149,170 | $71.72 | $105,461 | $8,788 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Virginia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $82,370 buys in Virginia Beach, VA
Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 2.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 0% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median ship engineer's $62,855 take-home pay has the buying power of $64,177 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Virginia Beach, VA has 34.4× 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
Virginia Beach, VA ranks #6 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 Virginia Beach, VA?
The median ship engineer salary in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area is $82,370 a year, or about $39.60 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $56,700 and $116,040.
What is a ship engineer’s take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA?
On the median $82,370 salary, a single filer living in Virginia takes home about $62,855 a year ($5,238 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,922 in Virginia taxes in 2026.
Is Virginia Beach, VA a good place to work as a ship engineer?
Pay here is 25% below the national median of $109,530. Local prices are 2.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $64,177 would in a typical U.S. city. Virginia Beach, VA ranks #6 of 6 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a ship engineer afford rent in Virginia Beach, VA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Virginia Beach, VA is $1,508 a month ($1,708 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median ship engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Virginia Beach, VA
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels — $86,940
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $61,140
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $50,460
- Bus Drivers, School — $50,190
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector — $48,570
- Sailor and Marine Oiler — $48,210
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $47,040
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $46,810
- Light Truck Driver — $41,600
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $39,160
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $36,340
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,120