2026 Best Marine Science Schools in California
Marine Science programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for marine science students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Marine Science in California
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the marine science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Marine Science
Leading the list is University Of California Davis, our #1 school for marine science. Set in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public institution. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of California Davis awarded about 19 marine science degrees in the most recent data year. Marine Science graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $53,749 early in their careers. University Of California Davis graduates carry a median of $14,404 in student loans.
Get the full marine science details for University Of California Davis
San Francisco State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best marine science schools. Located in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 50%. San Francisco State University awarded about 14 marine science degrees in the most recent data year. Marine Science graduates of San Francisco State University earn a median of $50,955 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $17,024 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in marine science from San Francisco State University
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in marine science, landing the #3 spot this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates 86% of students within six years. There were roughly 24 marine science students who graduated with this degree at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, marine science degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo generally make around $27,337. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates carry a median of $19,273 in student loans.
See the full marine science program report for California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
California State University Monterey Bay is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in marine science, landing the #4 spot this year. California State University Monterey Bay is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Seaside. Roughly 59% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 108 marine science students who graduated with this degree at California State University Monterey Bay in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, marine science degree recipients from California State University Monterey Bay generally make around $27,268. Typical student debt for the program is $17,800.
More information about a degree in marine science from California State University Monterey Bay
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 7 schools evaluated.
- 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.
