by our College Data Analytics Team
[Marine Transportation](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/marine-transportation/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying marine transportation schools.
What’s on this page:
The marine transportation program you select can have a big impact on your future earnings. To help, we created our Highest Paid Marine Transportation Graduates ranking. It looks at the median early-career salaries graduates earn, so you can find the schools whose marine transportation degrees pay off the most.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Marine Transportation Graduates list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
If you want to know which schools send marine transportation graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Northwestern Michigan College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid marine transportation graduates in the United States. Located in the city of Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College is a public institution. Students who complete the marine transportation program here go on to a median salary of roughly $133,180.
Strong graduate earnings at California Maritime Academy earned it the #2 place for marine transportation. Located in the city of Vallejo, California Maritime Academy is a public institution. Early-career marine transportation graduates from California Maritime Academy make a median of around $116,871 per year.
A rank of #3 makes Divers Institute Of Technology one of the highest-paying schools for marine transportation. Divers Institute Of Technology is a private for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. After graduating, marine transportation degree recipients from Divers Institute Of Technology typically earn about $55,378 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in marine transportation will find them at Texas A And M University College Station, which ranked #4. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a public institution. Marine Transportation graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of about $109,470 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Massachusetts Maritime Academy earned it the #5 place for marine transportation. Set in the suburb of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public institution. After graduating, marine transportation degree recipients from Massachusetts Maritime Academy typically earn about $110,804 annually.
Maine Maritime Academy earned the #6 position for marine transportation graduate earnings this year. Located in the rural area of Castine, Maine Maritime Academy is a public institution. Early-career marine transportation graduates from Maine Maritime Academy make a median of around $106,633 per year.
Ocean Corporation ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying marine transportation schools. Set in the city of Houston, Ocean Corporation is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, marine transportation degree recipients from Ocean Corporation typically earn about $48,240 annually.
Suny Maritime College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying marine transportation schools. Located in the city of Throggs Neck, Suny Maritime College is a public institution. Early-career marine transportation graduates from Suny Maritime College make a median of around $101,578 per year.
United States Merchant Marine Academy earned the #9 position for marine transportation graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a public institution. After graduating, marine transportation degree recipients from United States Merchant Marine Academy typically earn about $101,017 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries marine transportation graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 9 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.