Engineering Technologies/Technicians at California State University Maritime Academy

With just 30 graduates, Cal State Maritime's Engineering Technologies program shows promising numbers, but the small cohort means these figures could swing dramatically year to year. That said, the $115,589 first-year salary puts graduates in the 95th percentile nationally—well above the typical $66,626 for this degree. The catch? California's tech-heavy job market means this performance only hits the 60th percentile statewide, suggesting Maritime's location near Bay Area maritime and manufacturing employers matters, but doesn't create the same premium as, say, a software engineering degree would in the same region.

The $27,000 median debt (25th percentile nationally) paired with six-figure starting salaries creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans in under three months of gross salary. That's exceptional leverage for a relatively accessible program at a school with a 99% admission rate.

The real question is stability: with such a tiny program, a few graduates landing specialized maritime or industrial roles could inflate these numbers artificially. If your child is genuinely interested in hands-on engineering work in maritime, energy, or manufacturing sectors—and particularly if they're willing to work where ships, power plants, or industrial facilities are located—this represents solid value. Just recognize you're betting on a niche program where outcomes haven't been tested at scale.