When you consider your career choices in engineering, marine engineering might be an interesting possibility. With a master;s in marine engineering, you’ll be prepared to contribute to the national and international global economy, care of the environment, and the vitality of maritime industries.
What is an Online Master’s in Marine Engineering Degree?
An online master’s in marine engineering degree gives you advanced knowledge and practical experience in your field. With an online master’s of engineering degree, you can focus on a specific area in marine engineering and earn a high marine engineering salary. For example, you can focus on water resources, offshore engineering, or coastal and marine systems.
Through classroom lessons and hands-on experience, you’ll have a strong grasp of marine engineering. You’ll learn about marine vessel operations such as propulsion mechanics, fuel systems, lighting, air conditioning, and electricity and power generation systems.
Technical aspects of a degree include learning industry-applicable software and hardware. Record-keeping, maintenance planning, official paperwork, legal aspects, and reporting are essential aspects of an online master’s degree in marine engineering.
Why Get a Master’s in Marine Engineering Degree?
For those pursuing a master’s degree in marine engineering, their career choice is not only about a great marine engineering salary, but also being a vital link between international trade and the economy.
Many countries have ports with containers that need to be shipped to other nations. A marine engineer helps these ports run smoothly. Any problem at ports can delay shipments, leave perishable goods to spoil on piers, and cost millions, if not billions, of currency in lost revenue.
Not only are marine engineers crucial to economies but, more importantly, they’re also essential to keeping crews and passengers safe from harm. A marine engineer is a steward of the environment, making sure equipment does not fail, leading to pollution of land and water.
How Much Does a Master’s in Marine Engineering Degree Cost?
Costs for graduate programs in marine engineering vary depending on the educational institution. Expenses include tuition, supplies, and other fees. According to Data USA, the average cost is $8,395 with an instate public tuition. The average cost for out-of-state tuition is $53,828. Online classes are usually less expensive than onsite classes because online classes don’t require students to pay extra fees such as university lodging or student activity fees.
Master’s in Marine Engineering Degree Salary and Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marine engineering occupations are expected to experience slow growth with only 4 percent, which is slower than average. From 2020 to 2030, these occupations are projected to add four hundred new jobs.
According to a Ziprecruiter report, marine engineering graduates earn a median of $82,616 per year. The highest salary for Master’s in Marine Engineering graduates is $156,500 per year.
According to Payscale, salaries for Master’s in Marine Engineering graduates vary by career choice. A senior mechanical engineer earns from $83k to $129k a year, with a yearly average of $103,443. For other career choices such as a subsea engineer, the range is an estimated $63k to $126k, with a yearly average of $87,842. Technical project managers earn a yearly range of $64k to $121k, with a yearly average of $92,123.
Common Courses in Marine Engineering Degree Programs
When you’re searching for an online master’s in a marine engineering degree program, look for a university offering an online ABET marine engineering degree or other accreditation.
ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., is a non-governmental organization for accrediting post-secondary education programs in disciplines such as applied and natural sciences, computing, marine engineering, and engineering technology. An ABET-accredited online engineering degree or ABET-accredited online master’s in marine engineering degree means the university meets marine engineering education standards.
Students start with basic coursework in general education, focusing on math and science, and progress to more degree-specific classes.
- Technical writing
- Foreign languages
- History
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Computer science
- Computational fluid dynamic and solid mechanics
- Marine and computer-aided design
- Marine hydrodynamics
- Ocean and thermodynamics
- Propulsion systems
- Shipbuilding
- Naval architecture
Depending on a student’s interest or degree requirements, other coursework may involve diesel propulsion systems, gas or steam turbine prime-movers, nuclear energy, and electrical energy converters.
Students who plan to go into maritime management roles will take classes in
- Maritime business and supply chain management
- Global transportation systems
- Business supply chain management
- Business strategy and innovation
- Operations and logistics
- Project management
- Organizational leadership
These classes qualify students for roles in leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complicated projects such as shipbuilding design and procurement programs.
Marine engineering also includes technical skills specific to working in maritime industries. Some necessary skills include
- Advanced naval architecture
- Boundary layer theory
- Dynamics and control, including advanced ship dynamics and advanced dynamics of high-speed craft
- Fluid mechanics including advanced aero hydrodynamics and hydroacoustics
- Naval and marine engineering system design
- Principles of naval engineering
- Structures and materials, including vehicle structures and advanced ship structural analysis
- Submarine design
Renewable energy is just one focus for maritime education. Students can develop professional relationships with the renewable energy industry by learning how to design and support energy-conserving vessels.
A green industry focus is useful for students to expand their ability to be hired by businesses increasingly implementing environmentally friendly policies. Classes might focus on technical foundations in energy systems design and modeling, with integrated design, construction, and maintenance of green building energy systems courses.
Students interested in a Master’s in Marine Engineering must have a solid background in math such as graduate-level mathematics, numerical methods, or statistics. Computer science is an essential part of a master’s in marine engineering because it’s a required skill in many industries, including maritime industries. They also need to communicate effectively, so coursework in English and other languages, technical writing, and interpersonal skills are essential.
Universities with Master of Science in Marine Engineering Degrees
United States Merchant Marine Academy Master of Science in Marine Engineering
The United States Merchant Marine Academy Master of Science program goals are to help students become proficient in essential marine engineering topics, such as computational fluid dynamics and marine industry challenges. They also study technical, political, and social dynamics in marine engineering.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a Federal Academy accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Students have classwork in diesel prime-movers and diesel propulsion systems, and gas turbine prime-movers and propulsion systems. Classwork involves learning about steam turbine prime-movers and propulsion systems, as well as nuclear energy and electrical energy converters and propulsion systems.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Master of Science in Maritime Business Management (MSMB)
The Massachusetts Maritime Academy has accreditation from the NECHE, the New England Commission of Higher Education. The Academy offers a Master of Science in Maritime Business Management (MSMB) for students to learn skills and acquire knowledge for senior business, management, and leadership positions.
The program’s curriculum is a 17-month program with 9 three-credit courses and one four-credit capstone course for 31 credits. The program emphasizes maritime business and supply chain management knowledge and experience in global transportation systems with maritime business and supply chain management. Through their Maritime Center for Responsible Energy (MCRE), students can develop professional relationships with the renewable energy industry and other renewable energy stakeholders to help with energy and environmental issues.
University of British Columbia Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
The MEL in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at UBC is a hybrid course of engineering and business. Partnered with UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School, the courses give students technical knowledge of ship design, maintenance, and operation, while giving students the business experience to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage complicated projects.
Students will learn business strategy and innovation, operations and logistics, project management, and organizational leadership. For technical skills, UBC students will earn an integrated technical foundation in energy systems design and modeling, with integrated design, construction, and maintenance of green building energy systems courses.
Job opportunities after receiving a MEL in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from UBC include ship surveyor and design engineer. With a MEL in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, students will also have skills to work as managers for shipbuilding design and procurement programs. They will become qualified in ship project management, while sharpening their technical and analytical skills in classwork and working with industry leaders in the shipping industry.
Virginia Tech Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Master of Science in Ocean Engineering
The Virginia Tech Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Master of Science in Ocean Engineering requires all thesis students to take at least one course each in the three disciplinary areas the degree offers. The disciplinary areas are fluid mechanics, dynamics and control, and structures and materials.
For fluid mechanics, the offered courses include advanced aero and hydrodynamics, aero and hydroacoustics, advanced naval architecture, and boundary layer theory. In dynamics and control, students can choose from advanced ship dynamics and advanced dynamics of high-speed craft. In structures and materials, students have the choice between vehicle structures and advanced ship structural analysis.
Non-thesis students must take at least two courses from a list of seven required classes. The class list covers advanced ship structural analysis, submarine design, advanced naval architecture, and principles of naval engineering. Naval and marine engineering system design, advanced ship dynamics, and advanced dynamics of high-speed craft round up the required list for non-thesis students.
All students in the Master of Science in Ocean Engineering degree course must take at least one math class of three credits or more and focus on graduate-level mathematics, numerical methods, or statistics. The coursework prepares students for careers in marine design, architecture, and engineering.
Other FAQs About Master’s in Marine Engineering Degrees and Programs
What are jobs you can have with a Master’s in Marine Engineering degree?
Jobs you could have with a Master’s in Marine Engineering degree include:
- Consultant in maritime accidents, casualties, and claims: Consultants do specialized casualty investigation services to supply insight and information about maritime accidents.
- Hydrographic engineer: These engineers plan, design, and oversee maritime construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities.
- Hydrographic surveyor: Hydrographic surveyors map the geography of a body of water such as the area depth, tide measurements, obstacles on shorelines, and physical characteristics of the aquatic body’s floor. They determine the geography of a body of water, including the depth, tide measurements, shoreline obstacles, and physical features of the body’s floor.
- Marine engineering professor: A marine engineering professor instructs engineering students
- Marine equipment specialists: These specialists supply technical ability to build, design, and repair equipment.
- Marine operations manager: A marine operations manager manages vessel management.
- Marine systems engineering Marine systems engineers specialize in the design and advising about maritime installations, machines, and parts.
- Maritime researcher: As researchers, people who work in maritime research investigate and help implement new and better solutions to maritime problems.
- Naval combat engineer: The job of a naval combat engineer is to plan and manage cost-effective ship design, construction, and repair.
- Port engineer A port engineer works with port operations and infrastructure to oversee ship maintenance and repair.
- Propulsion engineer: Propulsion engineers oversee maritime propulsion component design.
- Sales engineer: A sales engineer is someone who understands the technical aspects of maritime-related parts and services to sell these to clients.
- Ship engineer: Ship engineers oversee supervising and coordinating crew activities involved in the maintenance of ship components of boilers, deck machinery, electrical, engines, refrigeration, and sanitary equipment aboard the ship.
- Shipyard project engineer: A shipyard project engineer manages shipyard projects.
- Structural engineer: A structural engineer analyzes and designs maritime structural support systems.
- Submarine engineer: A submarine engineer helps construct submarines.
- Traveling service engineer: A traveling engineer supplies on-site support for systems in the maritime industries, going from one project site to another.
How Long Does It Take to Complete a Master’s in Marine Engineering Program?
Earning a Master’s in Marine Engineering takes dedication. A Master’s in Marine Engineering starts with a four-year Bachelor of Science degree. A master’s in marine engineering takes one to two more years, and those pursuing these degrees must take the U.S. Coast Guard licensing exams. Pursuing higher education in Marine Engineering means also taking the Third Assistant License Exam, Second Assistant, First Assistant, and Chief Assistant license exams.