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Ocean Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.2401.

Types of Degrees Ocean Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Ocean Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	163
Master’s Degree	86
Doctor’s Degree	27

What Ocean Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Ocean Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Ocean Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Ocean Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Ocean Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Ocean Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Ocean Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Ocean Engineering graduates include:

• Ship Construction Teacher
• Aeronautical Engineering Teacher
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Metallurgy Teacher
• Engineering Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Metallography Teacher
• Design Teacher
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Hydraulics Teacher
• College Professor
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer
• Research Professor
• Ceramic Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	30.7%
Bachelor’s degree	29.6%
Master’s degree	11.8%
Post-doctoral training	8.0%
Post-master’s certificate	7.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Some college courses	1.6%
First professional degree	1.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Ocean Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 69.9% of Ocean Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	83	30.1%
Men	193	69.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	171	62.0%
Asian	6	2.2%
Hispanic or Latino	34	12.3%
Black or African American	10	3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.4%
Two or More Races	10	3.6%
Race Unknown	6	2.2%
International Students	38	13.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Ocean Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Ocean 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	$70,358
4 years	$83,539
5 years	$91,796

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $91,796 — roughly 30% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Ocean Engineering Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Ocean 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
Doctoral (Research)	1	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 Ocean Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Ocean Engineering graduates earn a median of $83,539 four years after completion — roughly 120% 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.