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What is a naval architect and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

A Naval Architect, also known as a Naval Engineer, is an engineering specialist with great knowledge in architecture, mathematics, electrical and electronic knowledge, hardware and software expertise design. They are often involved in marine vessels and other maritime structures.

This involves a lot of shipbuilding and maintenance projects. It also requires a lot of applied research and calculations, examinations and tests, and other complicated processes which must take place before even the designs themselves can be drawn up and approved. They are also involved in the modification and altering of ships.

A person hoping to begin work as a Naval Architect should have, at least, earned a college-level diploma, such as a bachelor's, in Engineering and a major in Naval Architecture. Certification is also necessary, varying from state to employer to the type of maritime structures the person wishes to design and help build.

ScoreNaval ArchitectUS Average
Salary
6.4

Avg. Salary $81,982

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.10%

Asian 6.96%

Black or African American 8.15%

Hispanic or Latino 7.33%

Unknown 3.60%

White 72.86%

Gender

female 12.32%

male 87.68%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Naval architect career paths

Key steps to become a naval architect

  1. Explore naval architect education requirements

    Most common naval architect degrees

    Bachelor's

    79.1 %

    Master's

    14.8 %

    Associate

    3.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific naval architect skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Marine Engineering15.44%
    DOD5.80%
    System Design5.31%
    ABS4.98%
    CAD4.80%
  3. Complete relevant naval architect training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New naval architects learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a naval architect based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real naval architect resumes.
  4. Research naval architect duties and responsibilities

    • Produce & manage electrical drawings for USCG approval on newly construct passenger vessel.
    • Work with multiple trades to accomplish design/build projects, corrective maintenance, preventive maintenance, and retrofit projects.
    • Manage technical architects for development and support of existing and new terminal platforms to support Walmart mobile and batch application infrastructure.
    • Train all shipboard personnel on firefighting techniques and procedures.
  5. Get naval architect experience

  6. Prepare your naval architect resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your naval architect resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a naval architect resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable naval architect resume templates

    Build a professional naval architect resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your naval architect resume.
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
    Naval Architect Resume
  7. Apply for naval architect jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a naval architect job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first naval architect job

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Average naval architect salary

The average naval architect salary in the United States is $81,982 per year or $39 per hour. Naval architect salaries range between $38,000 and $175,000 per year.

Average naval architect salary
$81,982 Yearly
$39.41 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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