California Maritime Academy: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

California Maritime Academy Training Ship

Brandon.wiggins / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

California State University Maritime Academy is a public university with an acceptance rate of 64%. The Cal Maritime curriculum combines traditional classroom instruction with professional training and experiential learning. A unique feature of a Cal Maritime education is a two-month international training cruise on the university's ship, the Golden Bear. The academy was established in 1929, and became part of the California State University system in 1996. Cal Maritime is the smallest and most specialized of the Cal State schools.

Considering applying to Cal Maritime? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Cal Maritime had an acceptance rate of 64%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 64 students were admitted, making Cal Maritime's admissions process somewhat competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 1,460
Percent Admitted 64%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 31%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Cal Maritime requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 82% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 550 635
Math 550 640
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal Maritime's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Cal Maritime scored between 550 and 635, while 25% scored below 550 and 25% scored above 635. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 550 and 640, while 25% scored below 550 and 25% scored above 640. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1275 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at California Maritime Academy.

Requirements

California Maritime Academy does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Cal Maritime will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required, but if the score meets a benchmark it may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

California Maritime Academy requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 38% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 20 26
Math 21 27
Composite 22 28

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal Maritime's admitted students fall within the top 36% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Cal Maritime received a composite ACT score between 22 and 28, while 25% scored above 28 and 25% scored below 22.

Requirements

Cal Maritime does not require the optional ACT writing section. Note that Cal State Maritime does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the middle 50% of students admitted to California Maritime Academy's had average high school GPAs between 3.21 and 3.96. 25% had average GPAs above 3.96, and 25% had average GPAs below 3.21. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Cal Maritime have primarily A and high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

California Maritime Academy Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
California Maritime Academy Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to California Maritime Academy. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

California Maritime Academy, which accepts over half of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. Unlike the University of California System, the California State University admission process is not holistic. Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do not need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application. Instead, admissions are based primarily on an eligibility index that combines GPA and test scores. Minimum high school course requirements (A-G college preparatory requirements) include four years of English; three years of math; two years of history and social science; two years of laboratory science; two years of a foreign language other than English; one year of visual or performing arts; and one year of a college preparatory elective. Note that completion of physics and pre-calculus is recommended for all applicants. Students may submit an optional resume that demonstrates leadership and experience related to their major. The reasons why an applicant with adequate scores and grades would be rejected tends to come down to factors such as insufficient college preparatory classes, high school classes that weren't challenging, or an incomplete application.

Be aware that certain majors at California Maritime Academy are designated as impacted. Due to impaction, particularly competitive majors such as Mechanical Engineering, Marine Transportation, Marine Engineering Technology, and Facilities Engineering Technology have additional requirements for eligibility.

In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students. The majority of successful applicants had a "B" average or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 1000 or higher, and ACT scores of 20 or higher.

If You Like Cal Maritime, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and California State University Maritime Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "California Maritime Academy: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/cal-maritime-academy-admissions-787374. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 29). California Maritime Academy: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/cal-maritime-academy-admissions-787374 Grove, Allen. "California Maritime Academy: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/cal-maritime-academy-admissions-787374 (accessed March 29, 2024).