Ocean Engineering

Types of Degrees Ocean Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many ocean engineering graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	192
Master’s Degree	85
Graduate Certificate	39
Doctor’s Degree	30

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

OE majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• 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

A major in OE will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• 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?

Below is a list of occupations associated with OE:

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 192 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering in 2019, making it rank #252 in popularity. This major attracts more men than women. About 74% 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	2
Black or African American	2
Hispanic or Latino	20
White	153
International Students	8
Other Races/Ethnicities	7

Geographic Diversity

OE appeals to people across the globe. About 4.2% 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

According to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in OE have a median salary of $61,200 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $61,200 (25th percentile) and $61,200 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in OE, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

OE majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $99,410 to $148,970 (25th to 75th percentile). 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. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

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 2018-2019, 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	5	1
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	47,405
Electrical Engineering	31,384
Civil Engineering	21,938
Computer Engineering	15,891
Chemical Engineering	14,406
Biomedical Engineering	12,001
General Engineering	11,739
Industrial Engineering	9,410
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering	7,069
Materials Engineering	3,538
Systems Engineering	3,491
Other Engineering	2,982
Environmental Engineering	2,850
Petroleum Engineering	2,269
Operations Research	1,745
Agricultural Engineering	1,554
Engineering Science	1,515
Architectural Engineering	1,019
Nuclear Engineering	1,014
Engineering Physics	979
Robotics Engineering	943
Manufacturing Engineering	932
Construction Engineering	865
Marine Engineering	481
Geoscience Engineering	424
Polymer & Plastics Engineering	387
Biological Engineering	374
Textile Engineering	366
Mining Engineering	340
Engineering Mechanics	314
Metallurgical Engineering	235
Biochemical Engineering	118
Ceramic Engineering	101
Surveying Engineering	89
Electromechanical Engineering	65
Forest Engineering	52
Paper Science & Engineering	44
Engineering Chemistry	9

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• 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.