Best institutions to study Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer
A program that prepares individuals to serve as captains, executive officers, engineers and ranking mates on commercially licensed inland, coastal and ocean-going vessels.
10 U.S. institutions graduated 501 Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 49.0309, a specialization of Marine Transportation (CIP 49.03), and leads most directly to the Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels occupation (BLS SOC 53-5021).
About Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer programs
A program that prepares individuals to serve as captains, executive officers, engineers and ranking mates on commercially licensed inland, coastal and ocean-going vessels. Includes instruction in maritime traditions and law, maritime policy, economics and management of commercial marine operations, basic naval architecture and engineering, shipboard power systems engineering, crew supervision, and administrative procedures.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer program prepares individuals for careers as captains, executive officers, engineers, and ranking mates on various vessels, including inland, coastal, and ocean-going ships. This program is ideal for those interested in maritime operations and seeking to understand the complexities of marine transportation.
Students will gain knowledge in maritime traditions, law, economics, and management of marine operations. Coursework includes basic naval architecture, shipboard power systems, and crew supervision, equipping graduates with essential skills for navigating and operating vessels safely.
Credentials awarded
What Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree453 graduates / yr · 7 institutions90%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years30 graduates / yr · 2 institutions6.0%
- Associate's degree16 graduates / yr · 3 institutions3.2%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.4%
Graduates over time
Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3,747 |
| 2013 | 4,476 |
| 2014 | 6,497 |
| 2015 | 4,568 |
| 2016 | 2,618 |
| 2017 | 1,852 |
| 2018 | 913 |
| 2019 | 628 |
| 2020 | 549 |
| 2021 | 412 |
| 2022 | 582 |
| 2023 | 480 |
| 2024 | 561 |
| 2025 | 501 |
Top 10 institutions for Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SUNY Maritime College Throggs Neck, NYPublicBachelor'sAssociate's | 103 | 64% | — | $79,797 |
| 2 | United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NYPublicBachelor's | 88 | 82% | — | $69,847 |
| 3 | Maine Maritime Academy Castine, MEPublicBachelor'sAssociate's | 66 | 58% | — | $82,725 |
| 4 | Cal Poly Maritime Academy Vallejo, CAPublicBachelor's | 64 | 60% | — | $87,464 |
| 5 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MAPublicBachelor's | 51 | 74% | — | $84,187 |
| 6 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor's | 51 | 84% | — | $87,444 |
| 7 | Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City, MIPublicBachelor's | 35 | 25% | — | $87,281 |
| 8 | San Jacinto Community College Pasadena, TXPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 29 | 30% | — | — |
| 9 | Seattle Central College Seattle, WAPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 32% | — | — |
| 10 | Clatsop Community College Astoria, ORPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 29% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Marine Transportation field (CIP 49.03) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 8 states
Where Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer graduates come from. Each state links to all Marine Transportation programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2 | 191 | SUNY Maritime College103 / yr |
| Texas | 2 | 80 | Texas A&M University - College Station51 / yr |
| Maine | 1 | 66 | Maine Maritime Academy66 / yr |
| California | 1 | 64 | Cal Poly Maritime Academy64 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 51 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy51 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 35 | Northwestern Michigan College35 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 12 | Seattle Central College12 / yr |
| Oregon | 1 | 2 | Clatsop Community College2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 53-5021, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, with an annual median wage of $85,540. The job outlook shows little or no change, with approximately 4,300 annual openings, typically requiring a postsecondary nondegree award.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 49.0309
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vesselsprimary SOC 53-5021 | $92,460 | +0.5% Little or no change | ~4,300 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Ship Engineers SOC 53-5031 | $109,530 | +1.6% Little or no change | ~1,100 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Motorboat Operators SOC 53-5022 | $47,520 | +1.4% Little or no change | ~300 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
- Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
Tools and technology used
Other Marine Transportation specializations
The 3 other 6-digit CIP codes under Marine Transportation (CIP 49.03).
- DiverCIP 49.0304partial data504 graduates / yr7 institutions
- Marine TransportationCIP 49.0399partial data83 graduates / yr9 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Commercial Fishing49.0303
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees are offered in this program?+
The program offers a Bachelor's degree, an Associate's degree, and shorter awards.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in monitoring, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What kind of jobs can I get after graduation?+
You can work as a captain, mate, pilot, or ship engineer.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is stable, with 4,300 annual openings projected.
What is the CIP code for Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer?+
Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer is CIP 49.0309 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Marine Transportation (CIP 49.03). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to serve as captains, executive officers, engineers and ranking mates on commercially licensed inland, coastal and ocean-going vessels. Includes instruction in maritime traditions and law, maritime policy, economics and management of commercial marine operations, basic naval architecture and engineering, shipboard power systems engineering, crew supervision, and administrative procedures.
How many institutions offer Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer programs?+
10 U.S. institutions reported Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 8 states, awarding 501 credentials in the year. That is 46.0% of all Marine Transportation graduates.
How much do Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels occupation, which Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer most directly leads to, pays a median of $92,460 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Marine Transportation field report median earnings of $84,187 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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