2026 Best Value Ocean Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[Ocean Engineering](/majors/engineering/oe-ocean-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools to find the best return on investment for ocean engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Ocean Engineering Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the ocean engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Ocean Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Florida Atlantic University the best value for a degree in ocean engineering in the United States. Florida Atlantic University is a very large public school located in the city of Boca Raton. Students from in state pay about $4,879 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Ocean Engineering graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, ocean engineering degree recipients from Florida Atlantic University generally make around $67,941. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Rhode Island is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ocean engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Rhode Island is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kingston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,942, compared with $37,146 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,147 to complete the ocean engineering program here. Soon after graduation, ocean engineering degree recipients from University Of Rhode Island generally make around $70,939. That is a strong return on a $25,147 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Texas A And M University College Station is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ocean engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,995, with out-of-state students paying around $40,124. Ocean Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Ocean Engineering graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $71,788 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Students looking for strong value in ocean engineering will find it at Florida Institute Of Technology, which ranked #4. Florida Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Melbourne. In-state tuition and fees average $45,900. Ocean Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career ocean engineering graduates make about $68,475. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Other Ocean Engineering Degree Levels
Explore the best-value ocean engineering schools at other degree levels:
View All Ocean Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
