💡 Why it matters: Every ship and offshore rig needs engineers who can keep its engines and systems running. The job suits people who like machines, travel and teamwork.
🌍 Around the world
- Nigeria: Nigeria has busy ports and a large offshore oil industry that need marine engineers.
- United States: Jobs for marine engineers and naval architects are projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦1.8M – ₦4.5M
- Mid-career
- ₦5.5M – ₦14M
- Senior
- ₦14M – ₦32M
≈ ₦458k – ₦1.2M a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Marine engineers and naval architects. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Operate and repair ship engines and generators
- Maintain pumps, cooling and fuel systems
- Keep safety and anti-pollution rules
- Plan spare parts and repairs
- Work in a team on ships and offshore platforms
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Hands-on skill
- Problem solving
- Teamwork
- Safety awareness
- Resilience
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Training at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, with sea time
- Offshore safety certificates such as basic safety training
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Engineering cadetship: paid college study and time at sea with a shipping company
- Marine engineering apprenticeship in a shipyard or boat builder
🇺🇸 United States
- Work on ships as an entry-level crew member and study for licences
- Join the Navy or Coast Guard and gain engineering experience
🇨🇦 Canada
- Cadet or trainee programme combining college study and time at sea
- Join the Canadian Navy or Coast Guard as an engineer
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study Physics and Maths well
- 2Join a marine engineering degree or maritime academy
- 3Do seagoing training placements
- 4Earn certificates of competency
- 5Work on ships, tugs or offshore vessels
⏰ A day in the life
Out at sea you check the engine room before your shift: temperatures, oil levels, vibration. A pump is leaking, so you swap a seal with a colleague, then log the repair for the chief engineer.