Ocean Engineering Degrees (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Ocean Engineering maps to BLS occupations averaging about $114,867, with roughly 69,280 workers nationwide in those roles. Median program completion runs near 57%; median in-state published tuition is about $12,070.
Ocean Engineering: what the data shows
Common questions about ocean engineering degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a ocean engineering degree?
A Ocean Engineering program is classified under NCES CIP 14.2400 in the Ocean Engineering field family (00.14).
IPEDS counted 162 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of ocean engineering degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 00.14 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (CIP 00.1402)
- Agricultural Engineering (CIP 00.1403)
- Architectural Engineering (CIP 00.1404)
- Biochemical Engineering (CIP 00.1443)
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering (CIP 00.1445)
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering (CIP 00.1405)
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering (CIP 00.1406)
- Computer Engineering (CIP 00.1409)
- Construction Engineering (CIP 00.1433)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (CIP 00.1447)
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (CIP 00.1410)
- Electromechanical Engineering (CIP 00.1441)
- Energy Systems Engineering (CIP 00.1448)
- Engineering Chemistry (CIP 00.1444)
- Engineering Mechanics (CIP 00.1411)
- Engineering Physics (CIP 00.1412)
- Engineering Science (CIP 00.1413)
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (CIP 00.1414)
- Forest Engineering (CIP 00.1434)
- Geological/Geophysical Engineering (CIP 00.1439)
- Industrial Engineering (CIP 00.1435)
- Manufacturing Engineering (CIP 00.1436)
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering (CIP 00.1442)
- Metallurgical Engineering (CIP 00.1420)
- Mining and Mineral Engineering (CIP 00.1421)
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (CIP 00.1422)
- Nuclear Engineering (CIP 00.1423)
- Operations Research (CIP 00.1437)
- Paper Science and Engineering (CIP 00.1440)
- Petroleum Engineering (CIP 00.1425)
- Polymer/Plastics Engineering (CIP 00.1432)
- Surveying Engineering (CIP 00.1438)
- Systems Engineering (CIP 00.1427)
- Textile Sciences and Engineering (CIP 00.1428)
What do you learn in ocean engineering?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Equipment Maintenance, Repairing, Troubleshooting, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Complex Problem Solving, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What jobs can you get with a ocean engineering degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Ocean Engineering to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 43,640 | $39,270 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 53,520 | $60,800 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 293,930 | $100,070 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a ocean engineering degree worth it?
About 6.7% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $12,070 and median net price is $16,931.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Ocean Engineering and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$12,070 Median In-State Public
$59,926 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Ocean Engineering majors are, on average, $12,070 for in-state public colleges, and $59,926 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Ocean Engineering programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
162 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Ocean Engineering from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Ocean Engineering.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 2 | University of Florida | FL | 34,102 |
| 3 | University of Georgia | GA | 31,310 |
| 4 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | LA | 29,207 |
| 5 | Florida Atlantic University | FL | 23,458 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Ocean Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Atlantic University | FL | $4,879 |
| 2 | Northwestern Michigan College | MI | $5,350 |
| 3 | University of Florida | FL | $6,381 |
| 4 | University of New Orleans | LA | $9,172 |
| 5 | University of Georgia | GA | $11,180 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Ocean Engineering programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern Michigan College | MI | $5,243 |
| 2 | University of Florida | FL | $6,351 |
| 3 | Florida Atlantic University | FL | $8,001 |
| 4 | University of New Orleans | LA | $11,147 |
| 5 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | HI | $13,181 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Ocean Engineering programs.
Graduation Rates
56.95% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.64% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.28% - 72.24% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Ocean Engineering programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 00.14 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering CIP 00.1402
- Agricultural Engineering CIP 00.1403
- Architectural Engineering CIP 00.1404
- Biochemical Engineering CIP 00.1443
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering CIP 00.1445
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering CIP 00.1405
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering CIP 00.1406
- Computer Engineering CIP 00.1409
- Construction Engineering CIP 00.1433
- Electrical and Computer Engineering CIP 00.1447
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering CIP 00.1410
- Electromechanical Engineering CIP 00.1441
- Energy Systems Engineering CIP 00.1448
- Engineering Chemistry CIP 00.1444
- Engineering Mechanics CIP 00.1411
- Engineering Physics CIP 00.1412
- Engineering Science CIP 00.1413
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering CIP 00.1414
- Forest Engineering CIP 00.1434
- Geological/Geophysical Engineering CIP 00.1439
- Industrial Engineering CIP 00.1435
- Manufacturing Engineering CIP 00.1436
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering CIP 00.1442
- Metallurgical Engineering CIP 00.1420
- Mining and Mineral Engineering CIP 00.1421
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering CIP 00.1422
- Nuclear Engineering CIP 00.1423
- Operations Research CIP 00.1437
- Paper Science and Engineering CIP 00.1440
- Petroleum Engineering CIP 00.1425
- Polymer/Plastics Engineering CIP 00.1432
- Surveying Engineering CIP 00.1438
- Systems Engineering CIP 00.1427
- Textile Sciences and Engineering CIP 00.1428
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $114,867. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Ocean Engineering graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $88,062 | 136,390 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $188,333 | 75,710 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $53,312 | 43,640 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $74,538 | 53,520 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | $58,116 | 36,880 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $131,986 | 293,930 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Ocean Engineering CIP family (n/a programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Ocean Engineering graduate.
- $89,337 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 6.7% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$136,006 Average wage, mapped occupations (OEWS)
Occupations mapped to Ocean Engineering average $136,006 a year in the BLS OEWS extract.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Ocean Engineering majors.
Occupations by Share
69,280 2023 Workforce
The number of Ocean Engineering graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Ocean Engineering by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Ocean Engineering in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Ocean Engineering.
Age distribution for Ocean Engineering degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Ocean Engineering degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Ocean Engineering degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Ocean Engineering are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Ocean Engineering.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Ocean Engineering field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Ocean Engineering majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Ocean Engineering majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Ocean Engineering majors.
About
Ocean Engineering
In 2023, 162 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Ocean Engineering.
CIP Code
14.2400 - Ocean Engineering
What the data shows
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $114,867. The largest mapped role by headcount is Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (136,390 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $12,070 in-state at public colleges and $59,926 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.