As of August 01, 2026, the average hourly pay of Chief Engineer in the United States is $143. While Salary.com is seeing that Chief Engineer salary in the US can go up to $159 or down to $116, but most earn between $129 and $151. Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Chief Engineer in the United States.
| Percentile | Hourly Pay Rate | Location | Last Updated |
| 10th Percentile Chief Engineer Salary | $116 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 25th Percentile Chief Engineer Salary | $129 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 50th Percentile Chief Engineer Salary | $143 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 75th Percentile Chief Engineer Salary | $151 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 90th Percentile Chief Engineer Salary | $159 | US | August 01, 2026 |
A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "ChEng" or "Chief", is the seniormost engine officer of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and responsibility of that department. As a person who holds one of the most senior roles on the ship, he or she must have excellent communication and leadership skills. He or she will be expected to regularly work alongside other crew members and external consultants, and most importantly, provide guidance his or her team. To be a chief engineer, an engineer must attain a chief engineer's license appropriate ...
Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/17/2019). Read more from Wikipedia
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree or MBA
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Core compensation
Includes base and short-term incentives
Recently searched related titles: Vice President Engineering, Vp Engineering, Senior Vice President Engineering
Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role
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