SUNY Maritime College

In 1874, New York established the country’s only federally approved state institution to offer nautical instruction. The SUNY Maritime College was formed to overcome a shortage of trained maritime professionals that occurred during the Civil War. The campus relocated to the grounds of the 19th-century-era Fort Schuyler in 1938. The fort is situated on Throggs Neck, a notable peninsula in the Bronx. The college offers Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degrees in a wide range of academic fields of study. Students simultaneously prepare for the U.S. Merchant Marine Officer’s license exam by undergoing various training at sea while aboard the college’s training vessel, the 565-foot Empire State VI, and commercial ships.

The student body is organized into a regiment of cadets, a military-style organization. There is no obligation to enter the armed forces upon graduation. The college does have a U.S. Navy ROTC program that allows midshipmen to receive a commission in the Navy or Marine Corps. Annual tuition for the 1,600 member student body is approximately $6,000 for in-state residents and $13,000 for out-of-state students. Various additional fees also apply.