2026 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in California
[Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/marine-transportation/marine-science-merchant-marine-officer/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 1 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine science/merchant marine officer, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools
California Maritime Academy tops our 2026 list of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools in California. Set in the city of Vallejo, California Maritime Academy is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,559, while out-of-state students pay about $22,159. Typical student debt for marine science/merchant marine officer graduates is $26,945. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from California Maritime Academy generally make around $87,464. Set against $26,945 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
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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 · 1 school evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
