Washington · Marine Transportation

Best colleges for Marine Transportation in Washington

Ranked by graduate earnings

Divers Institute of Technology and Seattle Central College award the most Marine Transportation degrees and certificates in Washington: 224 and 12 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 2 Washington colleges offer Marine Transportation and award 236 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
2
offering CIP 49.03
States offered
15
with a program page
Degrees / yr
236
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$38,699
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$41,660
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
62%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$103,890
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, 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
1Divers Institute of Technology
Seattle Private for-profit · Certificate
$38,69922491%$41,660$9,500

Colleges awarding the most Marine Transportation degrees in Washington

Top 2 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)
1Divers Institute of Technology
Seattle Private for-profit
224$38,699
2Seattle Central College
Seattle Public
12Not 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 Washington

Jobs in Washington
1,560
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$103,890
median $103,730
Best-paying metro
$122,290
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA

Related careers

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$103,890 avg · 1,560 jobs
Ship Engineers
$111,020 avg · 730 jobs
Motorboat Operators
$67,020 avg · 80 jobs
Commercial Divers
$185,300

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Marine Transportation programs in Washington.

Which Washington colleges award the most Marine Transportation degrees?+

Divers Institute of Technology (224 graduates a year) and Seattle Central College (12 graduates a year) award the most Marine Transportation degrees and certificates in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 2 Washington colleges offer Marine Transportation.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Divers Institute of Technology tops the list at $38,699. 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 Washington?+

The average annual wage for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels in Washington is $103,890 (median $103,730), across about 1,560 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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