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2026 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

2026 Best Value Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

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

1

United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY

$895 In-State Tuition & Fees

$90,610 Median Earnings (10yr)

United States Merchant Marine Academy tops our 2026 list of the best value marine science/merchant marine officer schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $895. Soon after graduation, marine science/merchant marine officer degree recipients from United States Merchant Marine Academy generally make around $69,847. United States Merchant Marine Academy admits about 34% of applicants.

2

Suny Maritime College
Throggs Neck, NY

$8,589 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,000 Avg Student Debt

$95,951 Median Earnings (10yr)

Suny Maritime College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marine science/merchant marine officer, landing the #2 spot this year. Suny Maritime College is a small public school located in the city of Throggs Neck. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,589, while out-of-state students pay about $19,159. 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 $79,797. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny Maritime College admits about 72% of applicants.

View All Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 2 schools 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.