Salary Guide
Chief Engineer salary worldwide
Median compensation for chief engineers sits at $195k, with experienced maritime professionals earning up to $273k at leading shipowners, premium ship managers, and major offshore operators.
Low
$140k
entry / emerging markets
Median
$195k
global average
High
$273k
experienced / metro
Demand
95/100
+13% YoY
What drives compensation
Chief Engineer compensation typically falls between $140k and $273k, with experienced c/es in the global maritime market commanding $273k+ at leading shipowners, managers, ports, cruise operators, and offshore players. Total compensation often includes leave pay, travel, joining bonuses, performance pay, and ship-type or DP allowances.
Hiring outlook
Demand for chief engineers in the global maritime market is exceptionally strong. Maritime employers report a 13% year-on-year increase in Chief Engineer mandates, driven by fleet renewal, decarbonisation retrofits, and the global engineer shortage.
Chief Engineer salary by city
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Dubai · United Arab Emirates | $254k |
| Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates | $250k |
| Fujairah · United Arab Emirates | $205k |
| Doha · Qatar | $254k |
| Ras Laffan · Qatar | $215k |
| Dammam · Saudi Arabia | $215k |
| Jeddah · Saudi Arabia | $215k |
| Muscat · Oman | $205k |
| Manama · Bahrain | $215k |
| Singapore · Singapore | $277k |
| Hong Kong · Hong Kong SAR | $283k |
| Shanghai · China | $215k |
| Shenzhen · China | $211k |
| Ningbo · China | $195k |
| Qingdao · China | $185k |
| Busan · South Korea | $224k |
| Ulsan · South Korea | $224k |
| Yokohama · Japan | $244k |
| Tokyo · Japan | $254k |
| Kaohsiung · Taiwan | $199k |
| Manila · Philippines | $140k |
| Cebu · Philippines | $127k |
| Jakarta · Indonesia | $152k |
| Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam | $140k |
| Port Klang · Malaysia | $172k |
| Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia | $172k |
| Bangkok · Thailand | $160k |
| Mumbai · India | $107k |
| Chennai · India | $93.6k |
| Kochi · India | $87.8k |
| Visakhapatnam · India | $87.8k |
| Kolkata · India | $81.9k |
| Mundra · India | $97.5k |
| Delhi · India | $107k |
| Rotterdam · Netherlands | $250k |
| Amsterdam · Netherlands | $250k |
| Antwerp · Belgium | $238k |
| Hamburg · Germany | $230k |
| Bremen · Germany | $224k |
| Felixstowe · United Kingdom | $205k |
| London · United Kingdom | $277k |
| Southampton · United Kingdom | $215k |
| Aberdeen · United Kingdom | $230k |
| Piraeus · Greece | $185k |
| Athens · Greece | $185k |
| Limassol · Cyprus | $205k |
| Marseille · France | $215k |
| Le Havre · France | $215k |
| Barcelona · Spain | $205k |
| Valencia · Spain | $195k |
| Algeciras · Spain | $185k |
| Genoa · Italy | $215k |
| Naples · Italy | $195k |
| Oslo · Norway | $283k |
| Bergen · Norway | $273k |
| Stavanger · Norway | $273k |
| Copenhagen · Denmark | $254k |
| Aarhus · Denmark | $238k |
| Istanbul · Turkey | $172k |
| New York · United States | $283k |
| Houston · United States | $215k |
| Los Angeles · United States | $254k |
| Long Beach · United States | $250k |
| Seattle · United States | $257k |
| Miami · United States | $230k |
| New Orleans · United States | $195k |
| Norfolk · United States | $205k |
| Vancouver · Canada | $250k |
| Montreal · Canada | $215k |
| Halifax · Canada | $205k |
| Santos · Brazil | $152k |
| Rio de Janeiro · Brazil | $152k |
| Sydney · Australia | $263k |
| Melbourne · Australia | $254k |
| Fremantle · Australia | $244k |
| Auckland · New Zealand | $234k |
| Cape Town · South Africa | $133k |
| Durban · South Africa | $127k |
For Shipowners, Ports & Maritime Employers
Hire chief engineers on CosmoQuick
Related maritime salaries
Frequently Asked Questions
The median salary for a Chief Engineer in the global maritime market is around $195k, typically ranging from $140k to $273k based on rank, sea-time, type experience, and the maritime employer.