Texas · Marine Transportation

Best colleges for Marine Transportation in Texas

Ranked by graduate earnings

Ocean Corporation, Texas A&M University - College Station and San Jacinto Community College award the most Marine Transportation degrees and certificates in Texas: 127, 51 and 29 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 4 Texas colleges offer Marine Transportation and award 221 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Marine Transportation program focuses on the transportation of people and goods via waterways, an essential aspect of global trade and travel. This program is designed for individuals interested in maritime operations, navigation, and…

Institutions
4
offering CIP 49.03
States offered
15
with a program page
Degrees / yr
221
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$30,992
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$32,464
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
61%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$112,180
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Texas A&M University - College Station
College Station Public · Bachelor's degree
$87,4445184%—$25,000
2Ocean Corporation
Houston Private for-profit · Certificate
$30,99212792%$32,464$9,500

Colleges awarding the most Marine Transportation degrees in Texas

Top 4 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Ocean Corporation
Houston Private for-profit
127$30,992
2Texas A&M University - College Station
College Station Public
51$87,444
3San Jacinto Community College
Pasadena Public
29Not reported
4Lamar State College - Orange
Orange Public
14Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (SOC 53-5021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+0.5%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~4,300
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$85,540
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

MonitoringSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels earn in Texas

Jobs in Texas
3,400
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$112,180
median $111,390
Best-paying metro
$116,660
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX

Related careers

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$112,180 avg · 3,400 jobs
Ship Engineers
$123,260 avg · 660 jobs
Motorboat Operators
$53,870 avg · 270 jobs
Commercial Divers
$48,860

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Marine Transportation programs in Texas.

Which Texas colleges award the most Marine Transportation degrees?+

Ocean Corporation (127 graduates a year), Texas A&M University - College Station (51 graduates a year) and San Jacinto Community College (29 graduates a year) award the most Marine Transportation degrees and certificates in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 4 Texas colleges offer Marine Transportation.

Which Marine Transportation program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Texas A&M University - College Station tops the list at $87,444. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels earn in Texas?+

The average annual wage for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Texas is $112,180 (median $111,390), across about 3,400 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Marine Transportation program?+

The Marine Transportation program focuses on the transportation of people and goods via waterways, an essential aspect of global trade and travel. This program is designed for individuals interested in maritime operations, navigation, and…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, active listening, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels?+

The national job outlook is about +0.5% growth with around 4,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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