Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University-College Station

Texas A&M's Maritime Studies program reports first-year earnings of $32,325 with $23,478 in debt—a 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio that looks reasonable on paper. But here's the critical caveat: fewer than 30 graduates were tracked, making these numbers statistically shaky. Maritime Studies is an extremely rare bachelor's program nationwide (only three schools offer it), so comparing percentiles is essentially meaningless. You're looking at data from what might be a handful of graduates.

The debt level is genuinely low compared to most bachelor's programs, and the ratio suggests graduates could manage payments. However, $32,325 is a modest starting salary for any four-year degree, and without larger sample sizes or clear career progression data, it's impossible to know whether this represents the maritime industry norm or just a quirky result from a small cohort. Maritime careers can lead to solid middle-class incomes—commercial ship officers, port managers, and marine operations specialists often earn substantially more with experience—but this snapshot doesn't tell us whether A&M's program reliably connects graduates to those opportunities.

For a parent considering this niche field, the key question isn't whether these specific numbers look good, but whether your student is genuinely committed to a maritime career. If they are, investigate job placement rates, industry connections, and licensing preparation directly with the program. The low debt is encouraging, but don't rely on these earnings figures to predict your child's financial future.