Admit rate has ranged 20%–24% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Webb Institute is a fiercely specialized maritime engineering powerhouse where every student gets a full-tuition scholarship—if they can crack its 14% acceptance rate. With just 90 students total and a single major (Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering), this Long Island enclave operates like a tight-knit technical guild, boasting a 100% job placement rate and graduates who out-earn Ivy Leaguers.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
106
In-state tuition
$63,214
Out-of-state tuition
$63,214
Founded
1889 (coed since 1974)
Campus Size
26 acres (waterfront)
Single Major
Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
Acceptance Rate
14%
Graduation Rate
81%
Total Enrollment
~90
Job Placement Rate
100%
Avg Starting Salary
$73,043
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Graduation rate
88%
First-year retention
93%
Endowment / student
$675,455
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
9.43
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
98
Summer high
82°F
Winter low
30°F
Annual rain
53.3"
Annual snow
19.7"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
97
Scholarly works
1,872
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Webb Institute?
Webb Institute's acceptance rate is approximately 14% (Glen Cove, NY), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Webb Institute?
Admitted students at Webb Institute typically score 1430–1530 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Webb Institute cost?
At Webb Institute, the average net price (after aid) is about $73,043 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Webb Institute?
Webb Institute enrolls approximately 106 undergraduate students.
Where is Webb Institute located?
Webb Institute is located in Glen Cove, NY.
Admissions
Getting into Webb is like threading a needle blindfolded—only 14% of applicants make the cut, with admitted students typically sporting SAT scores between 1430–1500 and ACT composites in the top percentiles. The 2024 incoming class had just 27 students, hailing mostly from the Northeast (56%), with smaller contingents from the South (11%) and West (15%). Webb joined the Common App recently to widen its reach, but self-selection is strong: you're either all-in on ship design or you're not applying. Middle 50% SAT Math scores range from 720–780, and most admitted students had GPAs above 3.75.
Webb's 146-credit curriculum is a relentless immersion in maritime engineering, with every graduate earning the same dual degree: a BS in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. The program scored a 93/100 for academics in recent reviews, emphasizing hands-on design projects, complex systems thinking, and brutal math requirements. There are no electives, no alternative majors—just a four-year gauntlet of hydrodynamics, structural analysis, and propulsion systems. The upside? A 100% job placement rate, with students spending every January in mandatory industry internships at firms like Newport News Shipbuilding or Gibbs & Cox.
With only 90 students total, Webb operates like a maritime monastery—everyone lives on the 26-acre waterfront campus, eats in the same dining hall, and bonds over late-night CAD modeling sessions. Student clubs range from the Queer Student Union (which hosts 'fun gay activities') to the American Society of Naval Engineers. The vibe is intensely collaborative rather than competitive, with traditions like the 'Stevenson Taylor Memorial Lecture' bringing in industry legends. Instagram posts show students welding in the machine shop one moment and kayaking in Long Island Sound the next.
Webb's ROI is staggering: 83% of graduates earn $73,043+ within two years, with mid-career salaries hitting $92,973—outpacing many Ivy League humanities majors. The 81% graduation rate (top 15% nationally) reflects the program's intensity, but those who persist are virtually guaranteed jobs at firms like Bollinger Shipyards or the Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command. Alumni dominate niche maritime sectors; one recent grad reported a $81,500 starting salary at a Houston offshore engineering firm.
Here's the kicker: every U.S. citizen receives a full-tuition scholarship covering Webb's $65,268 sticker price. Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements. (averaging $11,231) helps with room/board, and 70% of students qualify. The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid is $21,488—cheaper than most state schools for a degree that reliably prints six-figure salaries. Financial aid packages average $61,075, with options like Pell Grants and NY State TAP filling gaps. One caveat: international students pay full freight.
Webb is the only U.S. college that combines ultra-selectivity with universal full-tuition scholarships in a single hyper-specialized field. Its 8:1 student-faculty ratio means professors know every student's welding technique by heart, while the mandatory internship program ensures no graduate enters the job market untested. The trade-off? Zero academic flexibility—you'll spend four years thinking about hull forms and wake turbulence. But for maritime obsessives, it's the closest thing to a professional guild still operating in American higher ed.
Webb Institute logo · sourceOur Story | Webb Institute · sourceWebb Institute Ranks Among Top 390 Colleges by The Princeton Review for 2025 | Webb Institute · sourceStreet Level Webb Institute · source
