United States Coast Guard Academy

Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Location: New London, Connecticut
Installation Type: United States Service Academy
Status: Active

Overview

The United States Coast Guard Academy (CGA) is located in New London, Connecticut, on the Thames River, directly across the river from Groton (home of SUBASE New London). The Coast Guard Academy is the smallest of the four-year United States military service academies and the only one that selects cadets entirely through competitive academic merit (no congressional nomination required). Founded in 1876 (originally as a school for officers on a revenue cutter ship), the Academy has been at its New London location since 1932. The Academy commissions approximately 200-250 officers annually as ensigns in the Coast Guard. The cadet bark Eagle – the training ship – is the largest tall ship in U.S. government service and is a familiar sight in New London Harbor.

Mission & Units

Primary Mission: Develop and commission officers of character for the U.S. Coast Guard; provide a four-year bachelor’s degree program in engineering, science, and management combined with rigorous Coast Guard and military training; produce leaders for the maritime services and national security.
Major Units: Superintendent, U.S. Coast Guard Academy (Rear Admiral command); Corps of Cadets (approximately 1,000 cadets); Academic Programs Division; Cadet Training; Athletic Department (NCAA Division III)
Tenant Units: USCGC Eagle (WIX-327, barque training ship); Coast Guard Research and Development Center (New London, adjacent); Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound (administrative relationship)

Location & Access

Nearest Major City: New London, CT (population approximately 27,000) – within city limits; Groton, CT – across the Thames River (SUBASE New London visible from campus); New Haven, CT – approximately 45 miles west; Providence, RI – approximately 50 miles east; Boston, MA – approximately 100 miles northeast; New York City – approximately 120 miles southwest
Nearest Commercial Airport: T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) in Providence – approximately 55 miles northeast; Bradley International Airport (BDL) – approximately 55 miles west; New Haven Tweed Airport (HVN) – approximately 50 miles west
Gate Access: Main gate on Mohegan Avenue; CAC/military ID required for Academy and personnel facilities; public access to certain areas during daylight hours; graduation and other events have special access procedures

Population

Active Duty Personnel: Approximately 1,000 cadets + approximately 500 permanent military faculty and staff
Family Members: Approximately 600 (permanent party staff only; cadets are not accompanied)
Civilian Employees: Approximately 300 (academic faculty and support)
Total Installation Population: Approximately 1,800 (plus cadets)

Key Facilities

Medical: Coast Guard Clinic – primary care and dental for cadets and permanent party; specialty referrals to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (New London) or Yale New Haven Health System; excellent Connecticut medical access
Commissary: Limited commissary services; New London area has good shopping options
Exchange (PX/BX/NEX): Coast Guard Exchange/Cadet Store for cadets and staff
Fitness & Recreation: Extensive athletics facilities for cadets and staff; Chase Hall athletic complex; swimming pool; tennis; field sports; New London-Groton waterfront access; sailing on the Thames River and Long Island Sound; Academy has strong athletic program (NCAA Division III); Connecticut and Rhode Island coastal recreation
Schools: New London Public Schools and Groton Public Schools serve staff families; no DoDEA schools; Connecticut schools are among the best in the nation by national metrics; Ledyard and East Lyme are alternatives accessible from the area
Childcare: Limited childcare on base for staff families; New London and Groton area childcare available; register early
Veterinary Services: Local New London and Groton veterinarians; limited on-base services
Legal Assistance / JAG: Coast Guard Judge Advocate office; appointment-based; Academy-specific legal for cadets through Academy legal staff

Housing

On-Post Housing: Limited government quarters for permanent military staff; Chase Hall for cadets; most staff live off-base
Average Wait Time: Limited on-base housing for staff; off-base housing common
Off-Post Housing: New London, Groton, Ledyard, Waterford, Mystic, and East Lyme are popular communities for Academy staff; average rent approximately $1,800-$2,600/month for 3-bedroom home; Connecticut is expensive relative to national average; Connecticut has no state income tax on military pay for non-domiciliary members; the New London-Groton area has a substantial military community (shared with SUBASE New London personnel)
BAH Rate Reference: Check current BAH rates at Defense Travel Management Office (dtmo.mil)

PCS & Newcomer Info

Sponsorship Program: Contact gaining department; Academy faculty and staff sponsorship programs; CGA assignment is prestigious and sought-after
In-Processing: CGA in-processing; typically 2-3 days; academic department in-processing for faculty; Swab Summer (I-Day equivalent in late June) is the cadet arrival event; R-Day for new cadets
EFMP (Exceptional Family Member Program): Work-Life Staff; enrollment required; Yale New Haven Health System and Lawrence + Memorial Hospital provide good specialist access; Yale Children’s Hospital (45 miles) and Boston hospitals (100 miles) for complex cases

Local Area & Quality of Life

Climate: Humid continental; warm summers (average high 81F/27C in July); cold winters (average low 20F/-7C in January); Nor’easter snowstorms possible; Long Island Sound moderates temperatures; beautiful fall foliage; spring is late but lovely; USCGC Eagle is a spectacular sight in New London Harbor in spring and fall
Cost of Living: High; Connecticut is one of the more expensive states; housing particularly costly; New London-Groton area somewhat less expensive than coastal Connecticut resort areas but above national average
Nearby Attractions: Mystic Seaport Museum (10 miles east – world-class maritime museum with historic ships, highly relevant to Coast Guard mission); Mystic Aquarium; Ocean Beach Park in New London; Submarine Force Museum with USS Nautilus (Groton, across river); Block Island (ferry from New London, approximately 2 hours); Newport, RI (30 miles east); New Haven (45 miles west); Boston (100 miles); New York City (120 miles); casinos (Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, 10-15 miles); Thames River sailing
Spouse Employment: Connecticut offers employment in defense (Electric Boat, 3 miles away – largest employer), healthcare (Lawrence + Memorial, Yale system), Pfizer (Groton HQ nearby), financial services, and education; on-base employment limited; New Haven and Hartford area for broader employment; remote work common; Work-Life assists

Contact & Resources

Official Website: https://www.uscga.edu
Main Installation Phone: (860) 444-8444
MWR Website: Not publicly available; contact installation directly
ACS / Fleet & Family / Airman & Family Readiness: Work-Life Staff, U.S. Coast Guard Academy; (860) 444-8572; relocation, financial readiness, employment, family support

Last updated: 2026-02-23
Sources: https://www.uscga.edu; https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/us-coast-guard-academy; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedStatesCoastGuardAcademy, Joseph L. Jordan, Attorney at Law

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