Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
US occupation · SOC 49-3051
Job titles people report: Boat Mechanic, Boat Motor Mechanic, Boat Rigger, Marine Mechanic, Marine Propulsion Technician, Marine Technician, Mechanic, Outboard Motor Mechanic, Outboard Technician, Service Technician
Pay and outlook
- Median annual wage, May 2025
- $57,550
- Half earn more, half earn less
- Middle half earn
- $46,750 – $66,620
- 25th to 75th percentile
- People employed, May 2025
- 23,220
- Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
- Projected change, 2025–35
- +4.9%
- At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)
- Openings a year (projected)
- 2,600
- New jobs plus replacing people who leave
- Typical education to enter
- High school diploma or equivalent
- BLS
- All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
- Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
- Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.
What the work involves
Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
Main tasks
- Start motors and monitor performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring.
- Document inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed.
- Mount motors to boats, and operate boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests.
- Repair engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs.
- Perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters.
- Replace parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassemble engines.
- Idle motors and observe thermometers to determine the effectiveness of cooling systems.
- Inspect and repair or adjust propellers or propeller shafts.
Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.
Getting in
- Typical education to enter (BLS)
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training once hired: long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone 3
- Medium preparation
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Interests it suits
The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.
- Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
- Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
- Investigative: research, analysis and solving problems with ideas
Fields of study that lead here
From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 3 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.
Fields
Our college matcher doesn't offer these fields as a major, so we can't suggest colleges for them here.
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
- Marine Engineering Technology/Technician
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
- Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician
- Marine Maintenance/Fitter and Ship Repair Technology/Technician
Related careers
Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
$61,770 median · +3.6% projected
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
$56,210 median · +4.4% projected
- Motorcycle Mechanics
$48,580 median · +2.1% projected
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics
$47,880 median · +2.3% projected
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
$50,620 median · +5% projected
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
$53,710 median · -17% projected
Sources
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0
Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk