Whats the average salary for a boat designer.

Hey im just curious, what is the average salary for a boat designer?

[MikeJohns]

Not an easy one to give a number.
Depends What qualifications you have, whether you're any good, what market you target and where you are prepared to work.
Most yacht designers are not wealthy. Juniors in a firm are not well paid even if well qualified.

If you go out alone and for the first 10 years 10 people build your designs per year and you are getting $3000 for a design ..........

If you design super fast racing boats that win , then thats another story.

[SailDesign]

what is the average salary for a boat designer?

That's like asking "How many cc's is a car engine?"

[Dutch Peter]

Originally Posted by SailDesign

That's like asking "How many cc's is a car engine?"

That's easy, never enough!!

[Kevin H.]

So what you're saying Peter, is it's the same thing?

[Dutch Peter]

Originally Posted by Kevin H.

So what you're saying Peter, is it's the same thing?

Yeeaaah ofcourse, what else can I do?
It depends on:
- working for company or freelance?
- option 1 - big or small company?
- option 2 - working solo or has employees?
- married or not?
- how is the design work in that area, bussy or not?
- how's de competition, good or great?
And to what do you compair a salary? Architect in Poland will probably earn less (compaired to USA or West-Europe) but living standard is cheaper.
So, it's a silly question and then you get...
Sorry!

[Tim B]

I'm not sure of the design-based merit of this post, but in my case, I can't see me earning more than my current girlfreind, even in the long term. Forget the millions of pounds/dollars/whatever, let's face it, we do it because we love it. We love the problem-solving, the writing a little bit of software, learning about new methods, and most of all we love that tingling feeling when a new boat kisses the water for the first time.

Tim B.

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by TimB

and most of all we love that tingling feeling when a new boat kisses the water for the first time.

No kidding - that is the bestest thing going - worth every penny of lower wages

Steve

[Thunderhead19]

I think (hope? wish, maybe?) that there is an expectation that when someone holds an associate degree, diploma of engineering, naval architecture, engineering degree (before licensure) that minimum wage is out of the question. Ten dollars per hour is probably out of the question. I can remember the last time I was vividly aware of what the current minimum wage was, and I remember I was pumping diesel in and engine oil out at the time (not the same pipe, mind you). Cost of living and competetiveness of the job market play a big part. I was warned, and I'm warning you now. You don't get rich designing boats. Nobody gets wealthy designing boats. They might get wealthy from running a business (maybe involving boat-design), but not designing boats per-se.

Originally Posted by Tim B

I'm not sure of the design-based merit of this post, but in my case, I can't see me earning more than my current girlfreind, even in the long term. Forget the millions of pounds/dollars/whatever, let's face it, we do it because we love it. We love the problem-solving, the writing a little bit of software, learning about new methods, and most of all we love that tingling feeling when a new boat kisses the water for the first time.

Tim B.

And when was the last time one of yours kissed the water?

[Tim B]

what? so you think I'm wrong??? or are you an imposter in it for the money?

[Kevin H.]

Originally Posted by Dutch Peter

Yeeaaah ofcourse, what else can I do?

I was implying that in either case it can never be enough.

[gonzo]

I'm curious too. Anybody knows what staff designers, in the Western World, average?

[Eric Sponberg]

From my experience, staff designers with a boat builder or a boat design office can figure on a salary of US$30,000 to US$40,000 per year, higher if you have a college degree. Corporate naval architects can command up to US$80,000 a year. Independent naval architects and designers are all over the map, from zero to millions. The top of the line naval architects will command very large fees. In one case a few years ago, I know of a top name sailing yacht design built in England for US$16,000,000, and designer's fee was 10% of the cost of construction = US$1,600,000. That has to be spread over the period of construction, say 3 years, so that comes to about US$533,333 per year. Half a mil a year???--not bad if you can get it.

Those fees are the cream of the cream, for the rock stars of yacht design. But most of us are not rock stars, and we fall in with the averages above. As an independent naval architect, my fee totals for the year can vary considerably, from an average low to three times that amount the following year. It all depends on the market at the time. But I like working for just myself, taking responsibility (and publicity) for my own work and working on my own time, not punching a clock.

Eric

[Kevin H.]

Originally Posted by Eric Sponberg

But I like working for just myself, taking responsibility (and publicity) for my own work and working on my own time, not punching a clock.

How far I ever get into this is anayone's guess, but that factor alone is enough incentive to make me wanna' do whatever it takes.