by our College Data Analytics Team
[Marine Engineering](/majors/engineering/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 17 schools to find the best return on investment for marine engineering students.
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The right marine engineering school can pay off for years to come. That is why we built our Best Value Marine Engineering Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Marine Engineering Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this 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.
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is United States Merchant Marine Academy, our #1 best value for marine engineering in the United States. Set in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $895. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from United States Merchant Marine Academy generally make around $69,847. United States Merchant Marine Academy admits about 34% of applicants.
Old Dominion University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value marine engineering schools. Located in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,750, compared with $33,780 for out-of-state students. Marine Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from Old Dominion University generally make around $57,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marine engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Students borrow a median of $19,137 to complete the marine engineering program here. Marine Engineering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $87,749 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,137 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of New Orleans earned it the #4 place for marine engineering. University Of New Orleans is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of New Orleans. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,172, compared with $14,008 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for marine engineering graduates is $23,048. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from University Of New Orleans generally make around $42,720. That is a strong return on a $23,048 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Webb Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marine engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Glen Cove, Webb Institute is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $63,214 in tuition and fees. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $75,834. Webb Institute admits about 14% of applicants.
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Maine Maritime Academy landed the #6 spot for marine engineering value this year. Maine Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the rural area of Castine. In-state tuition and fees average $15,158, while out-of-state students pay about $31,102. Typical student debt for marine engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from Maine Maritime Academy generally make around $108,130. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Maine Maritime Academy admits about 54% of applicants.
Suny Maritime College came in at #7 for value in marine engineering this year. Suny Maritime College is a small public school located in the city of Throggs Neck. In-state tuition and fees average $8,589, while out-of-state students pay about $19,159. Marine Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Marine Engineering graduates of Suny Maritime College earn a median of $92,559 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy came in at #8 for value in marine engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,420, with out-of-state students paying around $23,722. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the marine engineering program here. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $100,024. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Massachusetts Maritime Academy admits about 95% of applicants.
The Landing School earned the #9 position for value in marine engineering this year. Located in the rural area of Arundel, The Landing School is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $29,037. Median earnings reach $65,849 ten years out.
Marine Engineering is one of many programs to choose from within the area of study. Browse the parent area of study.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 372 |
This ranking is produced 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 · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.