Naval architect education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a naval architect. Naval architects usually study marine engineering, ocean engineering, or engineering. 79% of naval architects hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 488 real naval architect resumes to see exactly what naval architect education sections show.

The most common colleges for naval architects are the University of New Orleans and the University of New Orleans.

There are also many online naval architect courses to help get the education required to be a naval architect.

What education do you need to become a naval architect?

What degree do you need to be a naval architect?

The most common degree for naval architects is bachelor's degree, with 79% of naval architects earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 4%.

Bachelor's, 79%

Master's, 15%

Associate, 4%

Doctorate, 1%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a naval architect?

You should major in marine engineering to become a naval architect. 42% of naval architects major in marine engineering. Other common majors for a naval architect include ocean engineering and engineering.

Marine Engineering, 42%

Ocean Engineering, 12%

Engineering, 10%

Civil Engineering, 9%

Other Majors, 27%

Most common colleges for naval architects

Naval architects often get their degrees at University of New Orleans, Texas A&M; University, and Webb Institute. Here are the most common colleges for naval architects in the US based on their resumes.

Naval architect common college	Percentages
University of New Orleans	15.89%
Texas A&M University	12.15%
Webb Institute	10.28%
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	8.41%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	5.61%

Show more common naval architect colleges

Best majors for naval architects

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Marine Engineering	42.5%
2	Ocean Engineering	11.9%
3	Engineering	9.9%
4	Civil Engineering	9.1%
5	Mechanical Engineering	7.5%

Show more common naval architect majors

Best colleges for naval architects

The best colleges for naval architects are Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A naval architect with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for naval architects. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become naval architects.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

3. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

5. University of New Orleans

New Orleans, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,771

Enrollment

5,909

6. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

7. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$52,202

Enrollment

3,420

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

9. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

10. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$50,226

Enrollment

10,873

20 best online courses for naval architects

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Top 10 most affordable universities for naval architects

The most affordable schools for naval architects are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and florida atlantic university.

If the best universities for naval architects are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for naval architects.

1. United States Merchant Marine Academy

Kings Point, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$1,080

Cost of attendance

6,646

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

10. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for naval architects

The hardest universities for naval architects to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for naval architects are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for naval architects based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

8. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,412

9. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for naval architects

The easiest schools for naval architects to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, old dominion university, and alabama a & m university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a naval architect without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for naval architects.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

3. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

4. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

5. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

8. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,132

9. California State University - Chico

Chico, CA • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,092

10. University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,202

Average naval architect salary by education level

Naval architects with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $135,911 annually. With a Master's degree, naval architects earn a median annual income of $106,795 compared to $80,736 for naval architects with an Bachelor's degree.

Naval architect education level	Naval architect salary
Master's Degree	$106,795
Bachelor's Degree	$80,736
Doctorate Degree	$135,911

Naval architect education FAQs

What is the best college for Naval Architects?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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