Fourth Engineer salary at sea: November 2026
Engine Department
The median monthly salary offered to a Fourth Engineer is $3,500. Half of the vacancies offer between $3,100 and $4,000. The typical contract is 4 months. Based on 755 vacancies from 111 companies in August–October 2026.
- Median
- $3,500per month
- Middle half
- $3,100–4,00025th to 75th percentile
- 80% of vacancies
- $2,500–4,45010th to 90th percentile
- Vacancies
- 755111 companies, 1 Aug–31 Oct 2026
Contents8
1Pay distribution
How many vacancies offer each amount.
- median $3,500
- middle half, $3,100–4,000
Table
| Monthly pay | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| under $1,999 | 4 |
| 2,000–$2,249 | 12 |
| 2,250–$2,499 | 34 |
| 2,500–$2,749 | 36 |
| 2,750–$2,999 | 13 |
| 3,000–$3,249 | 149 |
| 3,250–$3,499 | 83 |
| 3,500–$3,749 | 151 |
| 3,750–$3,999 | 49 |
| 4,000–$4,249 | 105 |
| 4,250–$4,499 | 47 |
| 4,500–$4,749 | 44 |
| 4,750–$4,999 | 0 |
| 5,000–$5,249 | 2 |
| $5,250 and above | 26 |
2By vessel type
Median and range by vessel type. The vertical line is the rank's median across all vessels. The range is shown from 30 vacancies and 5 companies; otherwise only the median.
- median
- middle half
- median across all vessels, $3,500
| Vessel type | Median | Pay distribution | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas carrier63 vacancies, 28 companies | $4,500 | middle half $3,900–5,500 | |
| Chemical tanker130 vacancies, 46 companies | $4,000 | middle half $3,500–4,200 | |
| Oil tanker229 vacancies, 50 companies | $3,800 | middle half $3,400–4,200 | |
| Ro-ro and car carriers18 vacancies, 8 companies | $3,450 | range: not enough data | |
| Bulk carrier163 vacancies, 37 companies | $3,350 | middle half $3,100–3,450 | |
| General cargo and multipurpose32 vacancies, 16 companies | $3,350 | middle half $3,100–3,600 | |
| Reefer12 vacancies, 5 companies | $3,200 | range: not enough data | |
| Container ship90 vacancies, 26 companies | $3,000 | middle half $2,500–3,300 |
Fourth Engineer: on gas carriers the median is $4,500, on chemical tankers $4,000, on oil tankers $3,800, on ro-ro ships and car carriers $3,450, on bulk carriers $3,350, on general cargo and multipurpose vessels $3,350, on reefers $3,200, on container ships $3,000.
3By sailing area
The sailing area is stated in only 283 vacancies of 755, so there are few rows. One vacancy can name several areas.
| Sailing area | Median | Pay distribution | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide260 vacancies, 49 companies | $3,500 | middle half $3,400–4,000 |
4Contract length
Share of vacancies by contract length, as stated in the vacancy. The length is stated in 752 vacancies of 755.
5By month
| Month | Median of new vacancies | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | $3,450 | 220 |
| September 2026 | $3,500 | 222 |
| October 2026 | $3,500 | 155 |
October vs August: +1.4%. This is within normal variation: a difference under 5% happens month to month without any market movement.
6Related ranks
7Methodology
Vacancies published on Rynda Crewing and open for at least one day in August–October 2026. Each vacancy counts once; the lower bound of the pay range is used; monthly pay only; conversion to US dollars at the rate on the day the vacancy appeared. More on the methodology
According to Rynda Crewing, vacancies for the Fourth Engineer rank in August–October 2026 offered a median of $3,500 per month (755 vacancies). https://crewing.rynda.io/en/salaries/2026-11/fourth-engineer
8Questions and answers
What is a Fourth Engineer offered on an oil tanker?
The median in vacancies on oil tankers is $3,800 per month (229 vacancies from 50 companies in August–October 2026).
What is the pay range for a Fourth Engineer?
Half of the vacancies offer between $3,100 and $4,000 per month; the median is $3,500.
What contract length is typical for a Fourth Engineer?
Most often 4 months: stated in 224 vacancies of 752 vacancies that give a length.
Where can I find Fourth Engineer vacancies?
Open vacancies for this rank are collected in its Jobs section and updated daily: https://crewing.rynda.io/en/jobs/fourth-engineer
Looking for a job? Open vacancies with pay are in this rank's Jobs section. Create your CV: seafarers don't pay.