BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a bachelor's degree in Marine Transportation worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 7 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Strong payoff
+$472,253 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
3.5 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+189%Estimated return after 10 years
$117,176Observed earnings · year 4
$135,440Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $118,063 per year below this threshold.
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$541,760
$17,000Current college-wide context+$473,760
$20,000Annual price+$461,760
$40,000Annual price+$381,760
$60,000Annual price+$301,760
$80,000Annual price+$221,760
$100,000Annual price+$141,760
Outcomes at a glance
$117,176Typical earnings four years after completion
$111,365Average earnings five years after completion
$25,771Typical federal student debt
98thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
7College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Marine Transportation
How much do Marine Transportation bachelor's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $117,176 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $25,771. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Marine Transportation?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $107,654 to $119,916 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Marine Transportation?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 4 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$107,654National median$117,17675th percentile$119,916
7 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
Northwestern Michigan College
$136,748 four years after completionTraverse City, MI · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtMassachusetts Maritime Academy
$24,686 among completer borrowersBuzzards Bay, MA · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classUnited States Merchant Marine Academy
105 reported awards in 2024–25Kings Point, NY · inspect the full program →PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$124,645Observed year-4 earnings$103,417
Northwestern Michigan College$6,231 price · $136,748 earningsTexas A&M University-College Station$21,315 price · $124,645 earningsMassachusetts Maritime Academy$21,582 price · $119,916 earningsCal Poly Maritime Academy$20,555 price · $117,176 earningsSUNY Maritime College$22,367 price · $115,831 earningsUnited States Merchant Marine Academy$6,174 price · $107,654 earningsMaine Maritime Academy$23,414 price · $103,417 earnings
$6,174Annual college-wide average net price$22,367
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
7 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 7 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Northwestern Michigan College$136,7482Texas A&M University-College Station$124,6453Massachusetts Maritime Academy$119,9164Cal Poly Maritime Academy$117,1765SUNY Maritime College$115,8316United States Merchant Marine Academy$107,6547Maine Maritime Academy$103,417Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$92,460 median wage36,850 jobs nationwide+4.0% projected growth through 2035 · 3,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$47,420–$170,640 typical wage rangeMotorboat Operators$47,520 median wage2,480 jobs nationwide+4.9% projected growth through 2035 · 300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$34,510–$84,530 typical wage rangeShip Engineers$109,530 median wage8,400 jobs nationwide+2.7% projected growth through 2035 · 900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$57,870–$165,490 typical wage rangeCommercial Divers$72,990 median wage3,450 jobs nationwide+4.8% projected growth through 2035 · 400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$43,330–$157,790 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.