Marine Transportation: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 49.03. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 39 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 19 | 605 | $47,480 | $53,975 | $7,343 4 programs |
| Associate's degree | 13 | 27 | $51,615 | $53,773 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 7 | 526 | $105,731 | $117,011 | $25,000 7 programs |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Diving Institute · Private, for-profit · 77 graduates measured | $52,845 | $51,381 | Data unavailable |
| Divers Institute of Technology WA · Private, for-profit · 392 graduates measured | $50,541 | $55,911 | $7,740 |
| Ocean Corporation TX · Private, for-profit · 141 graduates measured | $46,468 | $49,951 | $9,500 |
| CDA Technical Institute · Private, for-profit · 366 graduates measured | $44,283 | $53,333 | Data unavailable |
| Commercial Divers International AZ · Private, for-profit · 105 graduates measured | $41,541 | Data unavailable | $6,946 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Michigan College MI · Public · 48 graduates measured | $119,546 | $136,748 | $26,111 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 71 graduates measured | $112,927 | $124,645 | $14,000 |
| SUNY Maritime College NY · Public · 64 graduates measured | $111,266 | $115,831 | $25,500 |
| Maine Maritime Academy ME · Public · 71 graduates measured | $109,483 | $103,417 | $27,000 |
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy MA · Public · 55 graduates measured | $105,742 | $119,916 | $25,000 |
| Cal Poly Maritime Academy CA · Public · 55 graduates measured | $101,735 | $117,176 | $24,103 |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy NY · Public · 80 graduates measured | $65,371 | $107,654 | $5,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Marine Transportation
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial divers | $72,990 | +4.8% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels | $92,460 | +4.0% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Motorboat operators | $47,520 | +4.9% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Ship engineers | $109,530 | +2.7% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (4)
- 49.0303 Commercial Fishing
- 49.0304 Diver, Professional and Instructor
- 49.0309 Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer
- 49.0399 Marine Transportation, Other