by our College Data Analytics Team
[Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering](/majors/engineering/marine-engineering/naval-architecture-marine-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for naval architecture & marine engineering students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the naval architecture & marine engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
United States Merchant Marine Academy earned the #1 spot for value among naval architecture & marine engineering schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $895. Early-career naval architecture & marine engineering graduates make about $69,847. United States Merchant Marine Academy admits about 34% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Webb Institute earned it the #2 place for naval architecture & marine engineering. Webb Institute is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Glen Cove. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $63,214. Early-career naval architecture & marine engineering graduates make about $75,834. The acceptance rate is 14%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Suny Maritime College earned it the #3 place for naval architecture & marine engineering. Set in the city of Throggs Neck, Suny Maritime College is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,589, while out-of-state students pay about $19,159. Typical student debt for naval architecture & marine engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career naval architecture & marine engineering graduates make about $92,559. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Suny Maritime College admits about 72% of applicants.
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This list is compiled 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.