Marine Engineering degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 17 schools to find the best for marine engineering students.
DEBUG: Checking offer "Science & Engineering Bachelors Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.6
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Science & Engineering Bachelors Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" REJECTED (relevance 0.6)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Science & Engineering Diploma Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.6
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Science & Engineering Diploma Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" REJECTED (relevance 0.6)
DEBUG: relevant_offers count = 0
DEBUG: No relevant offers, showing generic ESYOH widget
Choosing a Great Marine Engineering School
The marine engineering program you select can have a big impact on your future. That is why we built our Best Marine Engineering Schools rankings. For our Best Overall Marine Engineering School ranking, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
To find the best fit, you can narrow this list to a specific degree level below.
We offer several rankings, including this Best Marine Engineering Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Leading the list is United States Merchant Marine Academy, our #1 school for marine engineering. Located in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public university. United States Merchant Marine Academy graduates 82% of students within six years. About 93 marine engineering degrees were awarded at United States Merchant Marine Academy in the most recent year. Students who receive their marine engineering degree from United States Merchant Marine Academy earn around $69,847 in the first couple years of their career.
See the full marine engineering program report for United States Merchant Marine Academy
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in marine engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 51 marine engineering degrees were awarded at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $87,749. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor graduates carry a median of $19,137 in student loans.
More information about a degree in marine engineering from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor
Students looking for a strong marine engineering program will find one at Maine Maritime Academy, which ranked #3. This small public university is located in the rural area of Castine. Roughly 59% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 71 marine engineering students who graduated with this degree at Maine Maritime Academy in the most recent data year. Marine Engineering graduates of Maine Maritime Academy earn a median of $108,130 early in their careers. Maine Maritime Academy graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in marine engineering from Maine Maritime Academy
A rank of #4 makes Massachusetts Maritime Academy one of the top schools for marine engineering. Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the suburb of Buzzards Bay. Roughly 74% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 69 marine engineering degrees were awarded at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the most recent year. Graduates of the marine engineering program make about $100,024 in their early career. Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Read more about the marine engineering program at Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Old Dominion University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in marine engineering, ranking #5. This very large public university is located in the city of Norfolk. Old Dominion University graduates 46% of students within six years. About 19 marine engineering degrees were awarded at Old Dominion University in the most recent year. Marine Engineering graduates of Old Dominion University earn a median of $57,131 early in their careers. Old Dominion University graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans.
More information about a degree in marine engineering from Old Dominion University
Suny Maritime College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best marine engineering schools. Suny Maritime College is a small public school located in the city of Throggs Neck. Suny Maritime College graduates 66% of students within six years. Suny Maritime College awarded about 24 marine engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Marine Engineering graduates of Suny Maritime College earn a median of $92,559 early in their careers. Suny Maritime College graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Read more about the marine engineering program at Suny Maritime College
Webb Institute earned the #7 position for marine engineering this year. Webb Institute is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Glen Cove. The six-year graduation rate is 88%. Webb Institute awarded about 25 marine engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from Webb Institute generally make around $75,834.
See the full marine engineering program report for Webb Institute
University Of New Orleans landed the #8 spot for marine engineering this year. Located in the city of New Orleans, University Of New Orleans is a moderately-sized public university. About 38% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 10 marine engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of New Orleans in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, marine engineering degree recipients from University Of New Orleans generally make around $42,720. University Of New Orleans graduates carry a median of $23,048 in student loans.
More information about a degree in marine engineering from University Of New Orleans
The Landing School landed the #9 spot for marine engineering this year. Set in the rural area of Arundel, The Landing School is a small private not-for-profit institution. The Landing School awarded about 10 marine engineering degrees in the most recent data year.
Get the full marine engineering details for The Landing School
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 17 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).
