Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Public · Moderately Selective · MA

Photo: Ktr101 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationMA · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads1,395

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate63.2%

6-yr grad rate74.1%

Drop-out rate13.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$24k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity20.2%

Gender diversity14.6%

International1.4%

Identity—

Overview

Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public college in Buzzards Bay, at the mouth of the Cape Cod Canal, training students for maritime, engineering, and related careers within a structured, uniformed regimental system modeled on the other state and federal maritime academies. Students live under a corps-of-cadets structure with ranks, watches, and daily routines that shape campus life far more than at a typical college, and most complete extended training aboard the academy's training ship during annual Sea Term voyages.

Academics

Marine engineering, marine transportation, and emergency management are the flagship programs, each tied closely to professional licensure — many marine transportation and engineering graduates sit for U.S. Coast Guard credentialing exams as part of their degree requirements. Facilities and environmental management, and international maritime business, round out the offerings. The Sea Term voyage puts classroom learning into direct practice at sea, a defining feature few other colleges can replicate.

Campus & student life

The Buzzards Bay campus sits at the canal's edge, and regimental life — uniforms, room inspections, a defined rank structure — is a constant presence rather than an optional activity. This suits students seeking discipline and structure; it is a poor fit for those who want a conventional, unstructured college experience.

Getting in

Admission weighs interest in and commitment to the regimental and licensure-track system as much as academic credentials, since the program's structure is not for everyone.

After graduation

Licensure-driven placement is strong and direct — graduates move into shipping, engineering, emergency management, and related maritime industries with credentials employers actively recruit for, often before graduation.

Worth knowing

The regimental system and Sea Term voyages are not peripheral traditions but core, mandatory parts of the degree — a student should be certain about this structure before enrolling.

maritime.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate94.7%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Applying