by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Marine Science is the 295th most popular major in the country with 334 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, marine science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,266 and had an average of $22,416 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 179 marine science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major” ranking looked at 10 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in marine science. That schools that top this list have a program in marine science in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
The marine science school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Monterey Bay. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major list. CSUMB is a medium-sized public school situated in Seaside, California. It awarded 54 bachelors’s marine science degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 10 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Maine landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Orono, Maine, this fairly large public school handed out 52 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s marine science students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 10 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #3 spot on the list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s marine science degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Marine Science Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s marine science degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Out of the 10 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s marine science degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major ranking, coming in at #6. Texas A&M College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 10 bachelors’s marine science degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #7, Eckerd College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major list. Eckerd is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Petersburg, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 0 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
The College of the Florida Keys did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major ranking, coming in at #7. Key West, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s marine science degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
Western Washington University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major list. Western Washington University is located in Bellingham, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 bachelors’s marine science degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Marine Science at Western Washington University
Maine Maritime Academy landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Marine Science Major ranking. Located in Castine, Maine, this small public school handed out 0 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s marine science students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
