Webb Institute

Private · Highly Selective · NY

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads106

Student:faculty11:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate88%

6-yr grad rate88%

Drop-out rate7.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$63k

Out-of-state tuition$63k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity23.6%

Gender diversity24.5%

International0%

Identity—

Overview

Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York, founded in 1889 by shipbuilder William H. Webb, is a tiny, singular engineering college devoted to one combined major: naval architecture and marine engineering. Its scale and focus are unlike almost any other U.S. college -- total enrollment is small enough that every student and faculty member knows one another by name -- and it occupies a former Gilded Age waterfront estate on Long Island Sound.

Academics

Every student pursues the same double major in naval architecture and marine engineering; there is no alternative track to switch into if the field turns out not to be the right fit. The curriculum is intensely technical from the first year on, reinforced by paid winter work terms in the maritime industry that are a required part of the program, not an optional internship, giving students real shipyard, design-firm, or engineering-office experience well before graduation.

Campus & student life

The campus is a former estate directly on Long Island Sound, small enough that essentially every student knows every other student and most faculty personally. Being on the water is not incidental: sailing and small-boat work are a natural extension of the engineering curriculum, not just a recreational option. Social life is inseparable from the shared, unusual academic mission, and a student-run honor system, common at small technical colleges of this type, governs day-to-day conduct.

Getting in

Admission is highly selective given the tiny class size, and the school looks for students genuinely committed to naval architecture and marine engineering specifically, since there is no other major to fall back on if interests shift. Strong math and physics preparation is essential, and many admitted students arrive with a demonstrated interest in ships, sailing, or maritime engineering well before applying.

After graduation

Graduates are heavily recruited across ship design, naval engineering, and ocean engineering fields, entering an industry where Webb's name carries particular weight given the program's rigor and the required industry work terms. The tiny alumni base is unusually concentrated in maritime and naval engineering careers.

Worth knowing

Every admitted student receives a full-tuition scholarship, a rarity among American colleges, and the required paid winter work terms mean students graduate with substantial real industry experience already on their resumes. The singular focus is a genuine commitment, not a flexible starting point.

webb.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate14%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1430–1530 · ACT 32–34

Test policyoptional

Rec letters3

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early decisionOct 16

Regular decisionJan 16

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App.

Early Decision at Webb is binding: an admitted Early Decision applicant must withdraw all applications from other colleges and universities. Regular Decision carries no such commitment.

Interviews: Finalists are required to take part in an overnight visit to campus, where they are interviewed by the college president and a faculty member and complete a short math assessment; a virtual alternative can be arranged for finalists who cannot attend in person.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗