by our College Data Analytics Team
[Marine Engineering](/majors/engineering/marine-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for marine engineering students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
United States Merchant Marine Academy earned the #1 spot for value among 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. Students from in state pay about $895 in tuition and fees. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from United States Merchant Marine Academy generally make around $69,847. The acceptance rate is 34%.
Webb Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marine engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Glen Cove, Webb Institute is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $63,214. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $75,834. The acceptance rate is 14%.
Suny Maritime College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marine engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Throggs Neck, Suny Maritime College is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,589, with out-of-state students paying around $19,159. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the marine engineering program here. Early-career marine engineering graduates make about $92,559. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
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The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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.