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Marine Science Officer

Types of Degrees Marine Science Officer Majors Are Earning

Those studying Marine Science Officer have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	18
Associate’s Degree	17
Bachelor’s Degree	526

What Marine Science Officer Majors Need to Know

Studies in Marine Science Officer emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Marine Science Officer graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Marine Science Officer emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Transportation — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Marine Science Officer program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Marine Science Officer careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Marine Science Officer graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.5 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.4 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Marine Science Officer professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Apple macOS	Operating system software	—
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS	Facilities management software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Autopilot software	Expert system software	—
Radar software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Roam Devices Roam Marine Monitor Hub	Expert system software	—
SEA.AI Offshore ONE	Mobile location based services software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Marine Science Officer graduates include:

• Harbor Pilot
• Boat Operator
• Speedboat Driver
• River Pilot
• Water Taxi Boat Mate
• Boatman
• Boat Driver
• Mooring Master
• Rivers and Lakes Boatman
• Motorboat Operator
• River and Lakes Boatman
• Crew Boat Operator
• Launch Operator
• Shoreboat Driver
• Water Taxi Ferry Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Marine Science Officer graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	42.7%
Postsecondary certificate	18.5%
Less than a high school diploma	16.8%
Bachelor’s degree	10.7%
Some college courses	7.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	0.6%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
Master’s degree	0.1%
First professional degree	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Marine Science Officer?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 87.3% of Marine Science Officer degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	71	12.7%
Men	490	87.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Marine Science Officer graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	435	77.5%
Asian	16	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino	45	8.0%
Black or African American	6	1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	29	5.2%
Race Unknown	20	3.6%
International Students	8	1.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Marine Science Officer Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Marine Science Officer graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,096
4 years	$58,110
5 years	$66,829

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $66,829 — roughly 21% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Marine Science Officer Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Marine Science Officer graduates earn a median of $58,110 four years after completion — roughly 53% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Marine Transportation	1,158
Diver, Professional and Instructor	539
Marine Transportation, Other	58
Commercial Fishing	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.