The Maritime Academy Route › Cal Poly Maritime Academy
The short answer
- A state maritime academy in Vallejo, California, now part of Cal Poly and formerly known as California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime).
- 2025–26 tuition and mandatory fees for California residents: about $9,900 a year. Non-residents pay an extra $444 per unit.
What it costs
| California resident | Non-resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & mandatory fees, Fall 2025 (6+ units) | $4,796 | $4,796 + $444 per unit |
| Tuition & mandatory fees, Spring 2026 (6+ units) | $5,117 | $5,117 + $444 per unit |
| Tuition & fees for the year | $9,913 | $9,913 + $444 per unit |
Fall 2025 and Spring 2026. Fees include health services and medical insurance. Housing, dining, uniforms and training cruise costs are not included; see Cal Poly's cost of attendance tools. Source: Cal Poly Maritime Academy Fiscal Services.
Student Incentive Payment (SIP) program
Students at the six state maritime academies can apply for MARAD's Student Incentive Payment program, which pays up to $64,000 over four academic years. It is optional, and it comes with a service obligation: keep a Merchant Mariner Credential with an officer endorsement for at least six years, sail as a merchant marine officer on U.S.-flagged vessels for at least three years, and accept a reserve commission and serve at least eight years. Breaking the agreement can mean being ordered to active duty or repaying the money with interest. MARAD SIP booklet (2024)
Before you apply
- Check that you can qualify for a Merchant Mariner Credential, including the medical standards, before you commit. Before You Spend Money →
- Ask the academy which majors lead to an unlimited Third Mate or Third Assistant Engineer license; not every major does.
- Ask what is not in the published cost: uniforms, sea terms, travel to the ship, and licensing fees.
Official sources
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