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Marine Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.2201.

Types of Degrees Marine Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Marine Engineering may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	10
Bachelor’s Degree	368
Master’s Degree	62
Doctor’s Degree	5

What Marine Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Marine Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Marine Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Marine Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Marine Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Marine Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Marine Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Marine Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
PTC Creo Parametric	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Marine Engineering graduates include:

• Drawing Instructor
• Automotive Engineering Teacher
• Geological Engineering Teacher
• Metallography Teacher
• Environmental Engineering Professor
• Mechanical Engineering Lecturer
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• College Professor
• Petroleum Engineering Professor
• Industrial Engineering Professor
• Research Professor
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Marine Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Lecturer
• Engineering Instructor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Marine Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	36.2%
Bachelor’s degree	20.9%
Post-master’s certificate	11.6%
Master’s degree	10.9%
Post-doctoral training	10.9%
Postsecondary certificate	2.7%
First professional degree	2.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.8%
Some college courses	1.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Marine Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 87% of Marine Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	58	13.0%
Men	387	87.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Marine Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	348	78.2%
Asian	18	4.0%
Hispanic or Latino	30	6.7%
Black or African American	4	0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	21	4.7%
Race Unknown	9	2.0%
International Students	13	2.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Marine Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Marine Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$97,198
4 years	$108,264
5 years	$116,295

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $116,295 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Marine Engineering Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Marine Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	2	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Marine Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Marine Engineering graduates earn a median of $108,264 four years after completion — roughly 185% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
Mechanical Engineering	42,939
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	26,760
Civil Engineering	20,005
Computer Engineering	19,986
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	13,914
Engineering, General	13,411
Chemical Engineering	10,939
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	9,596
Industrial Engineering	8,533
Systems Engineering	3,956
Engineering, Other	3,529

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.