by our College Data Analytics Team
[Marine Engineering](/majors/engineering/marine-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong marine engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value marine engineering schools.
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The right marine engineering school can pay off for years to come. To help, we created our Best Value Marine Engineering Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Marine Engineering Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in marine engineering, no school beat United States Merchant Marine Academy this year. Set in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $895. Marine Engineering graduates of United States Merchant Marine Academy earn a median of $69,847 early in their careers. United States Merchant Marine Academy admits about 34% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Michigan Ann Arbor one of the best values for marine engineering. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Marine Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,137 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $87,749. Set against $19,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
University Of New Orleans came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value marine engineering schools. University Of New Orleans is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of New Orleans. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,172, with out-of-state students paying around $14,008. Typical student debt for marine engineering graduates is $23,048. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from University Of New Orleans generally make around $42,720. That is a strong return on a $23,048 median debt. University Of New Orleans admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in marine engineering will find it at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, which ranked #4. Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the suburb of Buzzards Bay. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,420, while out-of-state students pay about $23,722. Typical student debt for marine engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $100,024. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Students looking for strong value in marine engineering will find it at Suny Maritime College, which ranked #5. Suny Maritime College is a small public school located in the city of Throggs Neck. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,589, compared with $19,159 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for marine engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $92,559. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Maine Maritime Academy placed #6 among the best values for marine engineering. Set in the rural area of Castine, Maine Maritime Academy is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,158, with out-of-state students paying around $31,102. Typical student debt for marine engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $108,130. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Maine Maritime Academy admits about 54% of applicants.
Webb Institute earned the #7 position for value in marine engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Glen Cove, Webb Institute is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $63,214. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from Webb Institute generally make around $75,834. Webb Institute admits about 14% of applicants.
Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Marine Engineering. Browse the parent area of study.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 325 |
View All Marine Engineering Concentrations >
The ranking above is published 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.