<p>Okay, I’ll do this like a decision flowchart:</p>
<p>1)First decision: Active Duty or Not?
-If you choose active duty you can go active duty in any of the uniformed services including the less thought of ones such as NOAA. Pay: O1 w/ less than 2yrs service = 2416.20/month + a bunch of other variable pays. If you want to fly in the Navy USMMA is probably the best place to go. Has nearly a 100% placement rate for those physically qualified (not even USNA can beat our rate).</p>
<p>If you don’t want to go on active duty the default will be the MMR/USNR Program. (2 weeks a year, no weekend a month). Your next decision will be…</p>
<p>2)To sail or not to sail?
-Sailing - go to sea for usually six months a year (usually 2mos on and then 2mos off, but this can be very variable). Pay ~10,000 a month for those months you sail.</p>
<p>-No Sailing - must choose a job that is related to the maritime industry (let your imagination run wild). Average pay would probably be around 45-50 thousand a year for starters.</p>
<p>3)Other crazy things: graduate school is allowed immediately after graduation; however, must be maritime related. </p>
<p>Overall your obligation is as follows following graduation from USMMA:
-Maintain your Reserve Commision for 8yrs. 5 yrs of this time will be spent doing the two weeks a year deal (again, no weekend a month like the normal reserves). The final three years can be spent in an inactive status where you don’t have to do any training.</p>
<p>-Maintain your Coast Guard license for a minimum of six years. This requirement makes it so you must either upgrade or renew your license at least once.</p>
<p>-Work in the maritime industry for a minimum of five years. (This can be sailing or working shoreside).</p>
<p>-If you go Active Duty I think the minimum commitment is three years, your commitment to the reserves and maritime industry are wiped away; however, you must maintain your license.</p>
<p>Basically it takes a Master’s degree to understand all your options after graduation. Hope this helps</p>