2026 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools
[Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/marine-transportation/marine-science-merchant-marine-officer/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong marine science/merchant marine officer education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for marine science/merchant marine officer students.
What’s on this page:
Finding the Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer School for You
Where you study marine science/merchant marine officer affects both what you pay and what you earn. To help, we created our Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
See how we build our rankings
Customize Your Rankings
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the 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.
Learn more about our methodology
2026 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the marine science/merchant marine officer degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools
For return on investment in marine science/merchant marine officer, no school beat Northwestern Michigan College this year. Located in the city of Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,860 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,476 for out-of-state students. Marine Science/merchant Marine Officer graduates carry a median of $26,542 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from Northwestern Michigan College generally make around $87,281. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Seattle Community College Central Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle Community College Central Campus is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,238, while out-of-state students pay about $5,796. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $14,699. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $53,048. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
United States Merchant Marine Academy came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools. Located in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $895 in tuition and fees. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $69,847. Roughly 34% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at San Jacinto Community College earned it the #4 place for marine science/merchant marine officer. Set in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,490, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $11,376. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from San Jacinto Community College generally make around $38,107. That is a strong return on a $11,376 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California Maritime Academy earned it the #5 place for marine science/merchant marine officer. California Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the city of Vallejo. In-state tuition and fees average $9,559, while out-of-state students pay about $22,159. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $26,945. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $87,464. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Texas A And M University College Station ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,995, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Marine Science/merchant Marine Officer graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $87,444. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Maine Maritime Academy landed the #7 spot for marine science/merchant marine officer value this year. Maine Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the rural area of Castine. Students from in state pay about $15,158 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,102. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $82,725. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Maine Maritime Academy admits about 54% of applicants.
Suny Maritime College earned the #8 position for value in marine science/merchant marine officer 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, compared with $19,159 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from Suny Maritime College generally make around $79,797. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy came in at #9 for value in marine science/merchant marine officer this year. Located in the suburb of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,420, with out-of-state students paying around $23,722. Students borrow a median of $24,686 to complete the marine science/merchant marine officer program here. Early-career marine science/merchant marine officer graduates make about $84,187. Set against $24,686 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Narrow Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools by Region
View All Rankings >
Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer. See all related rankings.
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
