---

Marine Transportation

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 49.0303 - 49.0399.

Types of Degrees Marine Transportation Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	328
Associate’s Degree	27
Bachelor’s Degree	526
Master’s Degree	277

What Marine Transportation Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Marine Transportation emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Transportation — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Marine Transportation program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Marine Transportation careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Far Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.5 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.3 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.8 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment	3.8 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Marine Transportation professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS	Facilities management software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Apple macOS	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
SEA.AI Offshore ONE	Mobile location based services software	—
Roam Devices Roam Marine Monitor Hub	Expert system software	—
Global positioning system GPS software	Mobile location based services software	—
Cartography software	Map creation software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Marine Transportation graduates include:

• Boat Operator
• Speedboat Driver
• Harbor Pilot
• River Pilot
• Boatman
• Towboat Operator
• Rivers and Lakes Boatman
• Shoreboat Driver
• Boat Person
• Water Taxi Operator
• Water Taxi Business Operator
• Launch Steward
• River and Lakes Boatman
• Boat Driver
• Speedboat Operator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	40.0%
Postsecondary certificate	20.7%
Less than a high school diploma	17.9%
Bachelor’s degree	10.7%
Some college courses	6.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.4%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
Master’s degree	0.2%
First professional degree	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Marine Transportation?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 89.8% of Marine Transportation degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	118	10.2%
Men	1,040	89.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	838	72.4%
Asian	23	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino	123	10.6%
Black or African American	38	3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	11	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.2%
Two or More Races	74	6.4%
Race Unknown	38	3.3%
International Students	11	0.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Marine Transportation Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Marine Transportation 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	$55,096
4 years	$58,110
5 years	$66,829

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $66,829 — roughly 21% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Marine Transportation Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Marine Transportation. 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
Associate’s	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 Marine Transportation Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Marine Transportation graduates earn a median of $58,110 four years after completion — roughly 53% 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
Transportation Materials Handling	35,230
Ground Transportation	22,968
Air Transportation	11,070
Transportation and Materials Moving, Other	34

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.