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marine engineering technology

Types of Degrees marine engineering technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying marine engineering technology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	19
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	48

What marine engineering technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for marine engineering technology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that marine engineering technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in marine engineering technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a marine engineering technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to marine engineering technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, marine engineering technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by marine engineering technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
CDI Electronics M.E.D.S.	Analytical or scientific software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Outboard engine diagnostic software	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for marine engineering technology graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Marine Diesel Mechanic
• Outboard Motor Mechanic
• Outboard Motor Tester
• Marine Propulsion Technician
• Marine Mechanic
• Outboard Motors Experimental Mechanic
• Boat Tester
• Boat Rigger
• Marine Service Technician (Marine Service Tech)
• Boat Motor Mechanic
• Mechanic
• Outboard Technician
• Motorboat Mechanic

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to marine engineering technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	38.9%
Postsecondary certificate	23.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	18.1%
Some college courses	8.4%
Bachelor’s degree	6.0%
Less than a high school diploma	2.3%
Master’s degree	1.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in marine engineering technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 89.7% of marine engineering technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7	10.3%
Men	61	89.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of marine engineering technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	44	64.7%
Asian	2	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino	14	20.6%
Two or More Races	7	10.3%
Race Unknown	1	1.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do marine engineering technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of marine engineering technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,128
4 years	$66,942
5 years	$75,102

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,102 — roughly 29% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in marine engineering technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, marine engineering technology graduates earn a median of $66,942 four years after completion — roughly 76% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	15.08
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0801
Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0803
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	15.0899
Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0805
Motorsports Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0807
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0001
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0101
Audio Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0307
Biomedical Technology/Technician	15.0401
Chemical Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0615
Composite Materials Technology/Technician	15.0617

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.