Ship Engineers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $138,180 or more. The middle half of ship engineers in Los Angeles earn between $84,620 and $107,900.
- $81K10th
- $85K25th
- $85KMedian
- $108K75th
- $138K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $98,400 | $8,200 | $47.31 |
| Median | $84,630 | $7,052 | $40.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $84,620 | $7,052 | $40.68 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $107,900 | $8,992 | $51.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Ship Engineers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Ship engineers in Los Angeles earn 16% less than the California average ($117,530) and 12% less than the U.S. average ($111,790). At the median the gap is -23% against the U.S. median of $109,530.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $98,400 | $84,630 | $80,690 | $138,180 | n/a |
| California | $117,530 | $97,660 | $80,820 | $169,280 | 610 |
| United States | $111,790 | $109,530 | $57,870 | $165,490 | 8,400 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Ship Engineers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $98,400, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $72,995 a year, or $6,083 a month and $2,808 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for ship engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $98,400 buys what about $86,646 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 9.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Ship Engineers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 2nd of 3 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($130,570).
- San Francisco$130,570
- Los Angeles$98,400
- San Diego$90,770
Highest-paying cities for ship engineers
New Orleans, LA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($151,960).
- New Orleans, LA$151,960
- Honolulu, HI$135,380
- San Francisco, CA$130,570
- Houston, TX$127,070
- New York, NY$126,400
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Ship Engineers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do ship engineers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$47.31 an hour on average, and $40.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level ship engineers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $84,620, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the ship engineers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $72,995 a year ($6,083 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $98,400. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do ship engineers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% less than the U.S. average for this job ($111,790).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-5031; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 14.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
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