California State University Maritime Academy

What are the graduation rates for students at California State University Maritime Academy?

In the former academy's IPEDS reporting, 40% of the relevant first-time, full-time bachelor's cohort graduated within four years, while 60% graduated within six years. These measures follow an entering cohort over different periods; they are not percentages of all students enrolled in a given year.

The reported first-year retention rate was 77%, measuring the share of a defined entering group that returned the following fall. Neither retention nor graduation figures describe every transfer student, part-time student, or current Cal Poly Maritime Academy cohort. For a prospective student, the gap between four- and six-year completion is a reason to examine the intended major's course sequence, sea-training schedule, and the financial effect of an additional year - not evidence, by itself, of why individual students took longer.

What is the earning potential for graduates at California State University Maritime Academy?

Federal College Scorecard program data report median earnings about one year after completion for certain groups of graduates with available earnings records. In the supplied October 2026 program figures for the former academy, the reported median was $75,128 for marine transportation and $83,137 for mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering-related technologies showed $95,733.

These are program-level medians, not starting salaries, offers made to every graduate, or predictions for current applicants. They represent graduates included in the underlying federal-aid and earnings records; coverage and cohort sizes can differ by field, and a federal program classification may not match a current major's name exactly. Pay can also vary with credentials, sea time, employer, location, and whether a graduate works at sea or ashore. Students comparing programs should weigh licensing requirements, total educational cost, and the kind of work they want alongside the earnings figures.