How much money do you get for designing submarines?

Answer 1

There is no single job for submarine design. Design is done by teams of engineers, working to specifications and performance standards set by contract with either General Dynamics (Electric Boat) or Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, at least here in the U.S. The contract will have what the Navy wants, and the 2 companies come up with a design they believe will fit the Navy's requirements. There are literally many engineers that work on the project. Design and development is usually a collaborative process that takes years. I remember being briefed by COMSUBLANT on the Seawolf-class design in 1985, long before it was built.

Salary depends also on who you're working for and what systems you're designing. Nuclear engineers tend to make more, and it also depends on whether you're military, civilian government, or a contractor. Contractor employees will always make more than their government counterparts, but many contractor engineers are also former Naval officers/engineers.

In the end it's really not about submarine design as it is about being an Electrical, Mechanical, Hydro, Electronics, Nuclear, etc. engineer and the going rate for your experience level in Naval engineering.