2026 Best Value Marine Science Schools in the Far Western Region
[Marine Science](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/marine-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong marine science education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for marine science students.
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2026 Best Value Marine Science Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Marine Science Schools
San Francisco State University earned the #1 spot for value among marine science schools in the Far Western Region. Set in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,846, while out-of-state students pay about $20,446. Marine Science graduates carry a median of $17,024 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marine science degree recipients from San Francisco State University generally make around $50,955. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in marine science will find it at University Of California Davis, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,804, while out-of-state students pay about $47,692. Students borrow a median of $14,404 to complete the marine science program here. Early-career marine science graduates make about $53,749. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Davis admits about 42% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in marine science will find it at California State University Monterey Bay, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Seaside, California State University Monterey Bay is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,779, compared with $20,379 for out-of-state students. Marine Science graduates carry a median of $17,800 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marine science degree recipients from California State University Monterey Bay generally make around $27,268. That is a strong return on a $17,800 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value marine science schools. Set in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,161 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,230 for out-of-state students. Marine Science graduates carry a median of $19,273 in student loans. Marine Science graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of $27,337 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,273 median debt. Roughly 31% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in marine science will find it at Western Washington University, which ranked #5. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. In-state tuition and fees average $9,582, with out-of-state students paying around $28,707. Typical student debt for marine science graduates is $20,361. Early-career marine science graduates make about $41,118. That is a strong return on a $20,361 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Hawaii Pacific University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value marine science schools. Hawaii Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Honolulu. In-state tuition and fees average $34,392. Typical student debt for marine science graduates is $25,385. Marine Science graduates of Hawaii Pacific University earn a median of $49,182 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
