Best colleges for Ocean Engineering
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems to monitor, control, manipulate and operate within coastal or ocean environments, such as underwater platforms, flood control systems, dikes, hydroelectric power systems, tide and current control and warning systems, and communications equipment; the planning and design of total systems for working and functioning in water or underwater environments; and the analysis of related engineering problems such as the action of water properties and behavior on physical systems and people, tidal forces, current movements, and wave motion.
15 U.S. institutions graduated 263 Ocean Engineering students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 14.2401, a specialization of Ocean Engineering (CIP 14.24), and leads most directly to the Engineers, All Other occupation (BLS SOC 17-2199).
About Ocean Engineering programs
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems to monitor, control, manipulate and operate within coastal or ocean environments, such as underwater platforms, flood control systems, dikes, hydroelectric power systems, tide and current control and warning systems, and communications equipment; the planning and design of total systems for working and functioning in water or underwater environments; and the analysis of related engineering problems such as the action of water properties and behavior on physical systems and people, tidal forces, current movements, and wave motion.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Ocean Engineering program prepares students to apply mathematical and scientific principles in designing and evaluating systems that operate within coastal and ocean environments. This field is ideal for individuals interested in developing technologies for underwater platforms, flood control systems, and communication equipment, among others. Students will engage with the complexities of water properties and their effects on various physical systems.
Core coursework in Ocean Engineering includes the planning and design of systems for underwater environments, as well as the analysis of tidal forces, current movements, and wave motion. Students gain a solid foundation in engineering principles tailored to aquatic settings.
Credentials awarded
What Ocean Engineering graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree165 graduates / yr · 8 institutions63%
- Master's degree59 graduates / yr · 9 institutions22%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship20 graduates / yr · 8 institutions7.6%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate15 graduates / yr · 4 institutions5.7%
- Post-master's certificate3 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.1%
- Associate's degree1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.4%
Graduates over time
Ocean Engineering completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 262 |
| 2013 | 313 |
| 2014 | 317 |
| 2015 | 318 |
| 2016 | 308 |
| 2017 | 335 |
| 2018 | 305 |
| 2019 | 346 |
| 2020 | 302 |
| 2021 | 285 |
| 2022 | 296 |
| 2023 | 290 |
| 2024 | 275 |
| 2025 | 263 |
Top 15 institutions for Ocean Engineering, 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 starting salary* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 60 | 84% | — | $71,788 |
| 2 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MDPublicBachelor's | 48 | 93% | — | — |
| 3 | University of Rhode Island Kingston, RIPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 37 | 73% | — | $70,939 |
| 4 | University of New Hampshire Durham, NHPublicBachelor'sPost-degree cert.Master'sDoctoral | 26 | 76% | — | — |
| 5 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert.Doctoral | 21 | 63% | — | $67,941 |
| 6 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 21 | 64% | $33,585 | $68,475 |
| 7 | University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HIPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 13 | 64% | — | — |
| 8 | Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City, MIPublicBachelor's | 7 | 25% | — | — |
| 9 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MSPublicBachelor's | 7 | 49% | — | — |
| 10 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 6 | 91% | — | — |
| 11 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 6 | 87% | $34,827 | — |
| 12 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VAPublicPost-degree cert. | 5 | 46% | — | — |
| 13 | University of New Orleans New Orleans, LAPublicMaster's | 3 | 38% | — | — |
| 14 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicMaster's | 2 | 69% | — | — |
| 15 | Community College of Rhode Island Warwick, RIPublicAssociate's | 1 | 26% | — | — |
* Field starting salary (1 yr): median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Ocean Engineering field (CIP 14.24) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 11 states
Where Ocean Engineering graduates come from. Each state links to all Ocean Engineering programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1 | 60 | Texas A&M University - College Station60 / yr |
| Florida | 3 | 48 | Florida Atlantic University21 / yr |
| Maryland | 1 | 48 | United States Naval Academy48 / yr |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 38 | University of Rhode Island37 / yr |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 26 | University of New Hampshire26 / yr |
| Hawaii | 1 | 13 | University of Hawaii at Manoa13 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 7 | Northwestern Michigan College7 / yr |
| Mississippi | 1 | 7 | University of Southern Mississippi7 / yr |
| New Jersey | 1 | 6 | Stevens Institute of Technology6 / yr |
| Louisiana | 2 | 5 | University of New Orleans3 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 5 | Old Dominion University5 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 17-2199, Engineers, All Other, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Ocean Engineering program can pursue various careers, including roles as engineers and architectural managers. The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an estimated growth rate of 2.1%, 9,300 annual openings, and a median wage of $117,750, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 14.2401
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Engineers, All Otherprimary SOC 17-2199 | $122,930 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~9,300 | Bachelor's degree |
Architectural and Engineering Managers SOC 11-9041 | $171,270 | +3.8% About as fast as average | ~14,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1032 | $109,270 | +8.1% Much faster than average | ~4,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Related careers
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in Ocean Engineering?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's degree in Ocean Engineering, as well as a Postbaccalaureate certificate.
How many colleges offer Ocean Engineering programs in the U.S.?+
There are 15 colleges in the U.S. that offer Ocean Engineering programs.
What is the average number of graduates per year in this field?+
Approximately 263 students graduate each year with degrees in Ocean Engineering.
What career opportunities are available after graduation?+
Graduates can work as engineers, architectural and engineering managers, or engineering teachers, with a strong job outlook in the field.
What is the CIP code for Ocean Engineering?+
Ocean Engineering is CIP 14.2401 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Ocean Engineering (CIP 14.24). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems to monitor, control, manipulate and operate within coastal or ocean environments, such as underwater platforms, flood control systems, dikes, hydroelectric power systems, tide and current control and warning systems, and communications equipment; the planning and design of total systems for working and functioning in water or underwater environments; and the analysis of related engineering problems such as the action of water properties and behavior on physical systems and people, tidal forces, current movements, and wave motion.
How many institutions offer Ocean Engineering programs?+
15 U.S. institutions reported Ocean Engineering graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 11 states, awarding 263 credentials in the year. That is 100.0% of all Ocean Engineering graduates.
How much do Ocean Engineering graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Engineers, All Other occupation, which Ocean Engineering most directly leads to, pays a median of $122,930 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Ocean Engineering field report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $70,939, 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. This specialization accounts for nearly all Ocean Engineering graduates, so its figures match the Ocean Engineering program page.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card