How is the career stability and longevity for Merchant Mariners?

As a maritime academy grad that has found steady employment for the past 15 years in the industry I do believe you will be making a good choice to attend a maritime academy. The careers are rewarding in many ways, consistent new challenges, travel (+/- for time away, can be 90+ days), time off, and strong comraderie along with, in my opinion, significant compensation. The maritime academy experience is not like most university curriculum, my major was marine engineering vs marine transport but for the first semester you will be exposed to both, after that you will have many classes that are general education and move toward more specific mariner training. Make it through this and most of the academies are still near the 100% job placement at graduation. As for longevity I don't see the industry shrinking or going away and there should be plenty of opportunity for you to build a career in the industry. Many of the US companies have recently been adding new ships to their fleets and if the oil industry recovers in the near future you will see jobs in offshore oil and gas return for all mariners as well as US crude tanker export grow into the global economy and wind farms moving into the offshore arena, and worldwide pipeline and cable laying will continue. In conclusion, it's not for everyone but in my experience has been excellent. Stability is variable depending on what path you go, sector of industry and desired location but there will be work for those who want it. Longevity in these positions as long as you desire. With license upgrade and promotions many mariners will work upto and beyond retirement age, while others find that a different opportunity calls them ashore due to life, family or other conditions