More selective than 89% of New York colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $9,168. College Scorecard.
Higher than 89% of New York colleges we cover and 91% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 93% of New York colleges we cover and 97% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
USMMA acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,392 applicants, United States Merchant Marine Academy admitted 452 and 277 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1110–1300 on the SAT or 22–29 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
USMMA tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for New York residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: New York residents may qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): up to $5,665 a year toward tuition at eligible New York colleges, for dependent students with New York net taxable family income up to $125,000. At SUNY and CUNY, the Excelsior Scholarship can cover remaining in-state tuition for eligible families (income limits apply). Not included in the prices above. New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
What USMMA costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of United States Merchant Marine Academy took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in New York. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $1,773 | $7,305 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $4,098 | $16,884 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $5,897 | $24,296 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $8,752 | $36,058 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $9,168 | $37,772 | under 1 year |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (73% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($90,610) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,977 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
USMMA majors, earnings & careers
United States Merchant Marine Academy offers 3 bachelor's majors across 2 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 2
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
Highest-earning majors at USMMA
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Transportation | $107,654 | — |
Quick list of all 3 majors
- Marine Transportation$107,654
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering—
- Systems Engineering—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Living in New York
Overall prices in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,689. Housing costs 49% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 50 inches of rain a year, 30 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); coastal flooding (very high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Nassau County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Nassau County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare USMMA with similar schools
Similar public colleges in New York by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | 34% | $6,174 | 82% | $90,610 | This school |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | 63% | $18,952 | 66% | $55,763 | |
| United States Military Academy | 12% | — | 87% | — | |
| SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University | — | — | — | $109,601 | |
| SUNY Maritime College | 72% | $22,367 | 64% | $95,951 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
United States Merchant Marine Academy would cost you $12,778 less per year than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, on average.
- Lower sticker price at United States Merchant Marine Academy.
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry gives aided families $6,187 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New York resident | USMMA | ESF | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $9,168 | $28,133 | −$18,965 |
| Average grants | −$2,994 | −$9,181 | +$6,187 |
| You pay | $6,174 | $18,952 | −$12,778 |
“+” means USMMA costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about USMMA
What is the USMMA acceptance rate?
United States Merchant Marine Academy accepts 34% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 452 of 1,392 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1110–1300 on the SAT or 22–29 on the ACT.
How much does United States Merchant Marine Academy cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $9,168 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $6,174 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $1,773 and families earning $110k+ pay $9,168.
How much do USMMA graduates earn?
Former United States Merchant Marine Academy students earn a median $90,610 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the USMMA graduation rate?
82% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% return for their second year.
How long does a USMMA degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at United States Merchant Marine Academy costs about $24,296 after grants ($5,897 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $90,610 ten years after starting, $55,977 more than high school graduates in New York ($34,633), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “United States Merchant Marine Academy: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/united-states-merchant-marine-academy (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).