Coastal Carolina University has been named in the top 50 of the best oceanside colleges and universities in the country in an annual ranking by College Choice.

"For students who are avid water sports fans, or who want to go into marine biology, aquaculture or oceanography, there is one requirement - the school must be near water," says Katie Amondson, associate editor of the ranking. "A school near the ocean will undoubtedly have resources, programs and even clubs that combine a love of the water with learning, and so this is where the journey for dedicated students begins."

The College Choice 2016 Rankings of the Best Oceanside Colleges and Universities takes into account several key factors to ensure that students get the best rate of return on their educational investment. In addition to proximity to the ocean, these factors include academic ranking, cost of tuition, total net cost, average financial aid packages and average early-career salary.

Coastal Carolina University, located nine miles from Myrtle Beach, S.C., has the largest undergraduate marine science program on the East Coast, with concentrations in the areas of marine biology, coastal geology, marine analytical technology, marine/environmental chemistry or ocean/atmosphere dynamics. CCU's College of Science also offers a master's degree and a doctoral degree in studies related to marine science.

The main research arm of CCU's College of Science is the Burroughs & Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies. Through its research activities, the center actively partners with federal and state agencies, local communities and the private sector to infuse the best available science into natural resource management benefiting the public. More than 10,000 students are enrolled at CCU this fall.

"The combination of our strong academic focus and our great location has always been a defining element of our identity and our success as an institution," said CCU Provost Ralph Byington. "From the undergraduate to the graduate levels, we have developed a range of programs that relate meaningfully to our geographic location. More importantly, this united emphasis on community engagement and academic development is something that applies to all our majors and students."

Other colleges in the Best Oceanside ranking include Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Hawaii Pacific University, University of South Florida and Palm Beach Atlantic.

College Choice is an independent online publication dedicated to helping students and their families find the right college. It publishes rankings and reviews that make choosing the best college easier.

To view the ranking, visit http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/best-oceanside-colleges/.