<p>How is the Starting Salary of SUNY Maritime grads the highest in the nation? It's $72,000 and I just don't understand how it could top Ivy schools and other high ranking institutions by such a large margin. Could a graduate of Maritime or somebody that knows about it please explain to me what type of work SUNY Maritime grads do to earn so much?</p>
<p>Well, the Navy and the Merchant Marine pays its officers fairly well.</p>
<p>I've hear the same thing. Graduates usually get jobs in the maritime industry in NYC - shipping, engineering, insurance, etc. Its a small world, so I think there is a lot of recruiting from right out of SUNY Maritime. Even civilian crew of merchant vessels get paid a decent amount of money.</p>
<p>Its not a service academy so I don't know what the above poster is referring to about the Navy (paying well?) and the Merchant Marines are not a branch of the armed forces. There is a Merchant Marine Academy on Long Island that is more similar to a service academy if that is your interest.</p>
<p>It sounds like the merchant marines would disagree with your statement that they are not a military branch
United</a> States Merchant Marine Academy
They refer to themselves in this link as a "fourth arm of defense". I guess that means army, navy, air force, merchant marines ...then...coast guard?? I didn't realize that there was an academy for this. I thought that merchant marines is just the kinda thing that men in mid life crises join or young fellows wake up with a hangover and find they joined the previous night.</p>
<p>The Merchant Marine is NOT an armed service. We do not wear uniforms, have no ties to the UCMJ and draw no G.I. benefits. We can be called in time of war as a Naval Auxiliary. but this has not happened since WWII and for the most part, Military Sealift Command has taken on that burden.</p>
<p>My first job out of Maritime was on a rusty old bulk carrier hauling grain to Africa for $75,000 (based on working 182 days per year.) So yah, the money is good. Becoming a third mate on a containership like the Sealand Mercury is $17,000 a month for a 4-month hitch. Not bad!</p>