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Massachusetts Maritime Academy logo
Public Buzzards Bay, MA · Suburban · New England · 93% data
A Earnings B+ Graduation B Value
Graduation Rate
77% B+
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$82,392 A
Top 4% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$21,582 D+
26% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
95% D
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +102% vs avg
Graduation +34% vs avg
Net Price 26% vs avg
Mobility Top 28%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 19.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.6 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Massachusetts.

19.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $19.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,603,552.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 102% more than the national college median.

  3. A 77% graduation rate — 34% above the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $19.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Massachusetts Maritime Academy Matters

Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public university in Buzzards Bay, MA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 4% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
1,395
Setting
Suburban
Primary Strengths
Engineering, Transportation, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing

Why students choose Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 4% of colleges
Strength in Engineering
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 38% overall
A
Earnings
$82,392 median
B
Value
3.8× net price
D+
Affordability
$21,582/yr net
B+
Graduation
77% graduate
B-
Social Mobility
2.0% climb Q1→Q5
D
Selectivity
95% admit rate
D
Diversity
0.36 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Massachusetts Maritime Academy is an excellent choice for students interested in practical, hands-on careers, particularly in fields like Engineering, Criminal Justice, Transportation, and Business & Marketing. With an acceptance rate of 95%, it’s accessible for a wide range of applicants. The school’s focus on preparing students for real-world challenges stands out, making it ideal for those who thrive in applied learning environments.

After graduation, students can expect solid earning potential, with a median income of $82,392 ten years post-degree. This financial outcome showcases the value of the education they receive here. While the school does cater to a diverse student body, about 19% of students rely on Pell Grants, indicating a commitment to affordability for those who need it.

On the practical side, the net price after aid is approximately $21,582, which is manageable for many families. Graduates leave with a median debt of $25,000, a figure that's relatively low compared to potential earnings. This environment tends to attract motivated individuals who are ready to make a difference in their fields and are looking for a solid return on their educational investment.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Massachusetts Maritime Academy is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.

Acceptance Rate
95%
Retention Rate
87%
Full-Time Faculty
53%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$10,073
Student–Faculty Ratio
12:1
Diversity Index
0.36
First-Gen Students
21%
Applicants
1,028
Admitted
919

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Massachusetts Maritime Academy is $23,722, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $21,582. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,757 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$11,420
Out-of-State
$23,722
Avg Net Price
$21,582
Median Debt
$25,000
Pell Grant Rate
19%
Federal Loan Rate
81%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,757
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,051
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,547
Family Income $110K+
$27,367

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Massachusetts Maritime Academy — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Massachusetts Maritime Academy Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Massachusetts Maritime Academy earn a median of $82,392, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$80,424
8 Years
$99,847
10 Years
$82,392
Debt-to-Earnings
0.3x
Earning > $25K
88%

Earnings Trajectory

$80,424 6yr $99,847 8yr $82,392 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (220)
69%
100% (220)
69%
100% (220)
69%
100% (220)
69%

How Massachusetts Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation77%Earnings 10yr$82KNet Price$22KRetention87%Median Debt$25KPell Grant Rate19%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$9K$0-30K$9K$30-48K$11K$48-75K$27K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%3.3%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%61.3%MOBILITY1.99%

College ROI Calculator

Is Massachusetts Maritime Academy Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Massachusetts Maritime Academy delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $21,582/year ($86,328 total). Graduates earn $82,392 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,689,880 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,603,552 (19.6× your investment). The median debt is $25,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 77% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$86,328
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,689,880
Net Return
$1,603,552
ROI Multiple
19.6×
Cost Per Year
$21,582
Median Debt
$25,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
77%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Massachusetts Maritime Academy Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.99%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 61.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $105,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.99%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
61.3%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
3.3%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$143,066
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Its economic connectedness score is 1.75, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.75
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.2%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$2,161,303
Investment Income
$-4,849,650

Top Programs

The fields Massachusetts Maritime Academy awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Massachusetts Maritime Academy is $23,722, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $21,582. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,757 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.

Is Massachusetts Maritime Academy Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Massachusetts Maritime Academy earn a median of $82,392, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Massachusetts Maritime Academy Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.99%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 61.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $105,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Its economic connectedness score is 1.75, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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