Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Also called: Marine Mechanic, Marine Technician, Mechanic, Service TechnicianRepair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 1 of its 13 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 4.9% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Small engine mechanics”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.1 hires for every 10 job openings in retail trade, which employs about 37% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.1 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $45,250 | $36,630 to $58,480 | 420 |
| Alaska | $72,520 | $63,000 to $92,720 | 160 |
| Arizona | $59,390 | $47,970 to $66,530 | 430 |
| Arkansas | $45,860 | $38,470 to $53,030 | 200 |
| California | $62,330 | $56,730 to $73,600 | 1,230 |
| Colorado | $57,050 | $49,460 to $75,220 | 50 |
| Connecticut | $63,480 | $58,330 to $77,150 | 560 |
| Delaware | $60,230 | $47,830 to $65,050 | 130 |
| Florida | $55,680 | $46,740 to $62,400 | 4,810 |
| Georgia | $49,850 | $45,820 to $60,750 | 390 |
| Hawaii | $77,740 | $62,450 to $83,260 | 150 |
| Idaho | $47,740 | $36,370 to $54,840 | 100 |
| Illinois | $47,840 | $45,330 to $50,800 | 360 |
| Indiana | $51,200 | $44,270 to $62,780 | 450 |
| Iowa | $49,930 | $40,780 to $58,670 | 110 |
| Kansas | $47,720 | $40,160 to $52,640 | 90 |
| Kentucky | $50,920 | $38,050 to $62,790 | 360 |
| Louisiana | $53,080 | $35,950 to $60,090 | 240 |
| Maine | $60,510 | $50,780 to $71,750 | 340 |
| Maryland | $60,310 | $46,440 to $70,960 | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $74,160 | $60,190 to $78,710 | 890 |
| Michigan | $47,900 | $37,400 to $58,900 | 1,480 |
| Minnesota | $61,010 | $54,640 to $71,870 | 500 |
| Mississippi | $43,800 | $39,120 to $48,510 | 60 |
| Missouri | $43,580 | $33,370 to $58,560 | 330 |
| Montana | $52,160 | $47,490 to $59,290 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $45,400 | $32,790 to $58,100 | 80 |
| Nevada | $49,630 | $43,710 to $65,200 | not published |
| New Hampshire | $56,160 | $48,340 to $61,860 | 180 |
| New Jersey | $71,880 | $54,720 to $79,030 | 250 |
| New Mexico | $36,510 | $31,970 to $38,480 | not published |
| New York | $58,940 | $52,410 to $72,020 | 1,470 |
| North Carolina | $51,430 | $44,760 to $63,070 | 930 |
| North Dakota | $60,990 | $53,080 to $71,910 | 70 |
| Ohio | $52,450 | $45,730 to $60,410 | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $39,920 | $31,210 to $46,910 | 260 |
| Oregon | $66,460 | $60,370 to $77,540 | 140 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,520 | $47,390 to $63,320 | 400 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,370 | $29,700 to $45,200 | 100 |
| Rhode Island | $58,470 | $47,140 to $68,640 | 400 |
| South Carolina | $49,080 | $39,130 to $58,860 | 620 |
| South Dakota | $46,840 | $39,050 to $47,960 | 90 |
| Tennessee | $49,120 | $46,120 to $57,000 | 200 |
| Texas | $53,290 | $45,220 to $62,560 | 1,010 |
| Utah | $46,470 | $39,550 to $54,470 | 70 |
| Vermont | $72,350 | $61,700 to $74,530 | 50 |
| Virginia | $63,450 | $58,960 to $99,060 | not published |
| Washington | $63,020 | $52,320 to $79,660 | 750 |
| West Virginia | $36,480 | $29,530 to $53,290 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $56,920 | $47,810 to $62,470 | 690 |
Nationally: $57,550. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 1 of its 13 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Start motors and monitor performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring. | Not published |
| Not much | Mount motors to boats, and operate boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests. | Not published |
| Not much | Repair engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters. | Not published |
| AI + software | Document inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Replace parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassemble engines. | Not published |
See all 13 tasks
| Not much | Inspect and repair or adjust propellers or propeller shafts. | Not published |
| Not much | Idle motors and observe thermometers to determine the effectiveness of cooling systems. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust carburetor mixtures, electrical point settings, or timing while motors are running in water-filled test tanks. | Not published |
| Not much | Set starter locks and align and repair steering or throttle controls, using gauges, screwdrivers, or wrenches. | Not published |
| Not much | Disassemble and inspect motors to locate defective parts, using mechanic's hand tools and gauges. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust generators and replace faulty wiring, using hand tools and soldering irons. | Not published |
| Not much | Repair or rework parts, using machine tools such as lathes, mills, drills, or grinders. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 13 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 13 tasks fall under 11 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repair vehicle components | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Repair tools or equipment | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Inspect vehicles | |||
| Document technical designs, procedures, or activities | |||
| Position tools or equipment | |||
| Disassemble equipment |
Show all 11 activities
| Maintain vehicles in working condition | |||
| Position materials or components for assembly | |||
| Repair electrical or electronic equipment |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report60%
- Data or a spreadsheet23%
- A script or snippet3%
- An analysis or summary1%
- An email or message1%
How they worked with Claude
82% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for motorboat mechanics and service technicians specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved in from
of 291 moves in
- 1 Construction Laborers Low +7.3% 10%
- 2 Machinists Moderate +1.0% 7%
- 3 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers High +4.1% 6%
- 4 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Moderate +2.5% 5%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 5%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 7% less than high school
- 24% high school
- 54% postsecondary certificate
- 12% some college
- 5% associate's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 37 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 13% less than high school
- 52% high school
- 23% some college
- 6% associate's
- 3% bachelor's
- 2% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Small engine mechanics” · 487 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Small engine mechanics”
3 programs: Marine Engineering Technology/Technician, Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician and Marine Maintenance/Fitter and Ship Repair Technology/Technician.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (MOTORBOAT MECHANIC; OUTBOARD-MOTOR MECHANIC). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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