Which schools offer WIOA-approved merchant mariner training?

21 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does a merchant mariner do, and how do you become one?

Water transportation workers run and maintain the vessels that carry cargo and people over water. Entry-level sailors and marine oilers need no set education and usually get 1 month to 1 year of training after they are hired, while other jobs on board take Coast Guard-approved training. Most jobs require a Merchant Mariner Credential from the Coast Guard and a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), and moving up takes logged time at sea.¹ To get a first merchant mariner credential from the Coast Guard you must show you hold or have applied for a TWIC, pass a drug test and pass vision, hearing and medical exams (or hold a Coast Guard medical certificate).²

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Approved programsup to 12 to 23 to 3more than 3

How much does merchant mariner training cost?

Most maritime programs approved for WIOA funding cost $888 to $2,230 if you pay yourself. Certificates and short courses mostly cost $856 to $2,075 and two-year degrees $6,000 to $7,718. Prices also differ by state: most cost $825 to $995 in Louisiana and $875 to $2,000 in Washington.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare merchant mariner training by state: cost, pay and results

Merchant mariner training by state
State	Programs	Most cost	Earned a year, estimated	Working 6 months later	Finished
Alaska	22	$120 to $18,000	about $48,400	70%	99%
California	1	Too few figures to show
Florida	1	Too few figures to show
Louisiana	7	$825 to $995	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Maine	1	Too few figures to show
Massachusetts	2	Too few figures to show
Mississippi	1	Too few figures to show
Northern Mariana Islands	1	Too few figures to show
Ohio	3	Too few figures to show
Texas	3	Too few figures to show
Virginia	1	Too few figures to show
Washington	99	$875 to $2,000	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer merchant mariner training too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Deckhand course, captain's license or STCW course? What the 142 programs are

By kind, the 142 programs approved for WIOA funding are STCW and endorsement course (68 programs), entry-level mariner training (17 programs), captain's license course (OUPV or Master 100 ton, 13 programs), mate or master license program (13 programs), and 31 more of 4 other kinds.

Across the US, 92 of the 142 programs take students without a high school diploma, 31 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 19 ask for earlier courses first.

Is there free merchant mariner training in the US?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. Without funding, prices differ by state: most maritime programs cost $825 to $995 in Louisiana and $875 to $2,000 in Washington. Each state's page lists every program with its price.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the merchant mariner program numbers by state come from

Which merchant mariner programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁷ Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about merchant mariner training

Show the 7 sourcesHide the sources

Nursing and patient care

Medical office and lab

General healthcare

Skilled trades

Transportation and logistics

Computers and IT

Business and office

Beauty and personal care

Public safety

Food and hospitality

Education and social services

Merchant mariner training by state