U.S. News Gives Merchant Marine Academy High Marks

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is among the nation's best colleges on several fronts, according to the latest rankings by U.S. News and World Report.

The Academy rates as America’s No. 2 public regional college in the North and third-best regional college, according to the 2014 rankings. USMMA also improved its standing as the 22nd-best undergraduate engineering programs nationally.

"These results are indicative of the outstanding quality, hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff,” said Shashi Kumar, Ph.D., master mariner and academic dean of the Academy. “With this year’s introduction of our new cutting edge curriculum, we hope to continue our role as the world leader in maritime education.”  

Rear Admiral James A. Helis, USMMA superintendent, also cited the Academy's progressive work on assembling a more diverse class of midshipmen. The U. S. Merchant Marine Academy was the first federal service academy to admit women in 1974.

The minority percentage of midshipmen has steadily risen each year. The Class of 2017 is 23 percent minority, compared with 14.4 percent in the Class of 2013. The number of women in the Class of 2013 is the highest in a decade at 16 percent.

“Our vision for the Academy is to be the world leader in maritime education,” Helis said. “We are very proud of this year’s rankings as well as our continuing recruitment effort to increase the number of women and minority candidates eligible to enter the regiment and maritime industry.”