2027 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools

[Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/marine-transportation/marine-science-merchant-marine-officer/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools.
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Finding the Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer School for You
Where you study marine science/merchant marine officer affects both what you pay and what you earn. To help, we created our Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Learn more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2027 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine science/merchant marine officer, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools
Our analysis ranked United States Merchant Marine Academy the best value for a degree in marine science/merchant marine officer in the United States. Set in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $895. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from United States Merchant Marine Academy generally make around $69,847. United States Merchant Marine Academy admits about 34% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Northwestern Michigan College one of the best values for marine science/merchant marine officer. Located in the city of Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,860, compared with $13,476 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $26,542. Marine Science/merchant Marine Officer graduates of Northwestern Michigan College earn a median of $87,281 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,542 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Seattle Community College Central Campus earned it the #3 place for marine science/merchant marine officer. Seattle Community College Central Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Seattle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,238, with out-of-state students paying around $5,796. Students borrow a median of $14,699 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $53,048. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at San Jacinto Community College earned it the #4 place for marine science/merchant marine officer. Set in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,490, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,376 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from San Jacinto Community College generally make around $38,107. Set against $11,376 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes California Maritime Academy one of the best values for marine science/merchant marine officer. Set in the city of Vallejo, California Maritime Academy is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,559, while out-of-state students pay about $22,159. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $26,945. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $87,464. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Texas A And M University College Station placed #6 among the best values for marine science/merchant marine officer. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, with out-of-state students paying around $40,124. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Marine Science/merchant Marine Officer graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $87,444 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy placed #7 among the best values for marine science/merchant marine officer. Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the suburb of Buzzards Bay. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,420, with out-of-state students paying around $23,722. Marine Science/merchant Marine Officer graduates carry a median of $24,686 in student loans. Marine Science/merchant Marine Officer graduates of Massachusetts Maritime Academy earn a median of $84,187 early in their careers. Set against $24,686 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Suny Maritime College earned the #8 position for value in marine science/merchant marine officer this year. Suny Maritime College is a small public school located in the city of Throggs Neck. In-state tuition and fees average $8,589, compared with $19,159 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from Suny Maritime College generally make around $79,797. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Suny Maritime College admits about 72% of applicants.
Maine Maritime Academy landed the #9 spot for marine science/merchant marine officer value this year. Set in the rural area of Castine, Maine Maritime Academy is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,158, compared with $31,102 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from Maine Maritime Academy generally make around $82,725. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 54%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.