Ocean Engineering

Types of Degrees Ocean Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many ocean engineering graduations there were in 2017-2018 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	194
Master’s Degree	70
Graduate Certificate	25
Doctor’s Degree	16

What Ocean Engineering Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to OE and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for OE Majors

OE majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for OE Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to OE:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for OE Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a OE student include the following:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Ocean Engineering Major?

People with a OE degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers	5.5%	$140,760
Biochemical Engineers	6.4%	$96,980
Engineering Professors	14.7%	$101,720

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Ocean Engineering?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 194 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering in 2018, making it rank #252 in popularity. This major attracts more men than women. About 71% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of OE majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	13
Black or African American	3
Hispanic or Latino	18
White	140
International Students	7
Other Races/Ethnicities	13

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in OE, too. About 3.6% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• India
• South Korea
• France
• Iran

How Much Do Ocean Engineering Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that ocean engineering students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $61,200 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $61,200 (25th percentile) and $61,200 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to OE.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $99,410 to $148,970 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to OE. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Ocean Engineering

Some degrees associated with OE may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for OE careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	47.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.8%
Master’s Degree	20.8%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	3.3%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	1.2%
Doctoral Degree	17.3%
Post-Doctoral Training	3.3%

Online Ocean Engineering Programs

In 2017-2018, 16 schools offered a OE program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	1	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	4	0
Post-Baccalaureate	1	0
Master’s Degree	11	0
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	9	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Ocean Engineering Worth It?

The median salary for a OE grad is $113,680 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 185% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,475,600 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Ocean Engineering

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to OE.

Major	Number of Grads
Mechanical Engineering	46,014
Electrical Engineering	31,993
Civil Engineering	21,299
Computer Engineering	15,329
Chemical Engineering	14,729
Biomedical Engineering	11,483
General Engineering	11,245
Industrial Engineering	9,714
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering	6,315
Materials Engineering	3,555
Systems Engineering	3,439
Other Engineering	2,900
Petroleum Engineering	2,818
Environmental Engineering	2,746
Operations Research	1,555
Agricultural Engineering	1,546
Engineering Science	1,509
Nuclear Engineering	1,050
Engineering Physics	1,028
Manufacturing Engineering	920
Architectural Engineering	874
Construction Engineering	870
Robotics Engineering	755
Geoscience Engineering	510
Marine Engineering	506
Mining Engineering	434
Biological Engineering	400
Textile Engineering	359
Polymer & Plastics Engineering	348
Engineering Mechanics	329
Metallurgical Engineering	218
Biochemical Engineering	124
Ceramic Engineering	111
Electromechanical Engineering	84
Surveying Engineering	73
Paper Science & Engineering	51
Forest Engineering	39
Engineering Chemistry	5

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Jplourde umaine under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.