Updated October 2026
How the academy route works
The seven academies
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) supports one federal academy and six state maritime academies that prepare students for unlimited officer licenses. MARAD
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy →
Kings Point, New York. The federal academy.
Maine Maritime Academy 🦞 →
Castine, Maine. The finest one. (See the note below.)
Massachusetts Maritime Academy →
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.
SUNY Maritime College →
Bronx, New York.
Cal Poly Maritime Academy →
Vallejo, California. Formerly California State University Maritime Academy.
Texas A&M Maritime Academy →
Galveston, Texas.
Great Lakes Maritime Academy →
Traverse City, Michigan. Trains officers for the Great Lakes as well as oceans.
What each academy costs
Costs are reported differently by each academy, so compare carefully, and open each academy's page for the details and sources.
| Academy | Location | Cost snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Merchant Marine Academy | Kings Point, New York | No tuition, room or board; midshipman fees apply |
| Maine Maritime Academy | Castine, Maine | $51,228 in-state · $61,264 New England · $75,912 out-of-state (direct, 2026–27) |
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts | $32,541 in-state · $44,843 out-of-state (2024–25 federal data) |
| SUNY Maritime College | Bronx, New York | $30,353 resident · $41,253 non-resident (direct, 2026–27) |
| Cal Poly Maritime Academy | Vallejo, California | $9,913 resident tuition & fees (2025–26) + housing; non-residents +$444/unit |
| Texas A&M Maritime Academy | Galveston, Texas | In-state tuition for all U.S. license cadets (since fall 2025) |
| Great Lakes Maritime Academy | Traverse City, Michigan | $579/credit for maritime courses, all residencies (2026–27) |
Checked October 2026. State academy students can also apply for MARAD's Student Incentive Payment program (up to $64,000 over four years, with a service obligation).
Why choose an academy?
- A structured route to an unlimited officer license
- A bachelor's degree, which matters later if you move ashore
- Formal sea training on a training ship and commercial vessels
- STCW training built into the curriculum
- Direct access to maritime employers and unions recruiting on campus
- Military and reserve programs at some academies
Academy vs. hawsepipe
Neither one automatically makes the better mariner.
Education first
Degree + structured sea training + license in about four years. Costs tuition and requires you to be accepted.
Experience first
Start as OS or wiper, earn while you learn, build sea time, take training, and sit for the exam. Takes longer but you're paid the whole way. AB to Third Mate →
I graduated from Maine Maritime Academy. There are several other excellent maritime academies around the country, and their graduates are entitled to their opinions about which academy is best.
They're wrong, but they're entitled to them. 😄
More seriously: an academy is one route, not the route. Many outstanding captains and chief engineers came up through the hawsepipe. Others came from the Navy or Coast Guard. Mariners Online is here to explain all of those paths.
Compare the ways in
Academy, hawsepipe, military, or career change — see all four routes side by side.
Sources
FREE DOWNLOAD · OCTOBER 2026 EDITIONWho’s Hiring? Maritime Employer Directory
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