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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Ocean Engineering Master’s Degree Schools

3 Colleges in the United States
$25,431 Avg Student Debt
$56,812 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Ocean Engineering Master's Degree Badge [Ocean Engineering](/majors/engineering/oe-ocean-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 ocean engineering students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Ocean Engineering Schools in the United States

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the ocean engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Ocean Engineering Schools

1

For return on investment in ocean engineering, no school beat Florida Atlantic University this year. Florida Atlantic University is a very large public school located in the city of Boca Raton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,879, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for ocean engineering graduates is $29,000. Early-career ocean engineering graduates make about $67,941. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 66%.

2

University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ocean engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public school located in the city of Honolulu. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,186, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. Ocean Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, ocean engineering degree recipients from University Of Hawaii At Manoa generally make around $48,181. Set against $20,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.

3

University Of Rhode Island is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ocean engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Rhode Island is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kingston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,942, with out-of-state students paying around $37,146. Ocean Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,147 in student loans. Early-career ocean engineering graduates make about $70,939. That is a strong return on a $25,147 median debt. University Of Rhode Island admits about 72% of applicants.

4

Florida Institute Of Technology came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value ocean engineering schools. Set in the city of Melbourne, Florida Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,900. Ocean Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career ocean engineering graduates make about $68,475. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.

Other Ocean Engineering Degree Levels

Explore the best-value ocean engineering schools at other degree levels:

All Degree Levels in Ocean Engineering
Associate's Degrees in Ocean Engineering
Bachelor's Degrees in Ocean Engineering
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View All Ocean Engineering Rankings >

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Notes and References

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 · 17 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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