US CollegesColleges in Maine: cost, admission and results
25 degree-granting colleges and universities in Maine, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Maine (8,496 undergraduates), Unity Environmental University (6,483 undergraduates), Southern Maine Community College (5,675 undergraduates).
Maine at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 25
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 13 / 11 / 1
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $12,640
- Median net price a year
- $17,191
- Median admission rate
- 81%
- Median graduation rate
- 47%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $48,302
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates CollegeLewiston, ME · Private nonprofit | 13% | $27,390 | 88% | $98,373 |
| Beal UniversityBangor, ME · Private for-profit | not reported | $49,163 | 29% | $43,193 |
| Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · Private nonprofit | 7.1% | $15,595 | 93% | $90,153 |
| Central Maine Community CollegeAuburn, ME · Public | not reported | $5,388 | 31% | $45,995 |
| Colby CollegeWaterville, ME · Private nonprofit | 7.1% | $19,835 | 87% | $88,776 |
| College of the AtlanticBar Harbor, ME · Private nonprofit | 70% | $24,465 | 73% | $47,967 |
| Eastern Maine Community CollegeBangor, ME · Public | not reported | $8,127 | 36% | $46,579 |
| Husson UniversityBangor, ME · Private nonprofit | 81% | $22,146 | 60% | $57,136 |
| Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual ArtsPortland, ME · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Kennebec Valley Community CollegeFairfield, ME · Public | not reported | $7,256 | 40% | $46,874 |
| Maine College of Art & DesignPortland, ME · Private nonprofit | 76% | $40,801 | 51% | $38,062 |
| Maine Maritime AcademyCastine, ME · Public | 54% | $21,078 | 58% | $101,511 |
| Northern Maine Community CollegePresque Isle, ME · Public | not reported | $7,369 | 34% | $44,952 |
| Saint Joseph's College of MaineStandish, ME · Private nonprofit | 84% | $29,029 | 56% | $69,579 |
| Southern Maine Community CollegeSouth Portland, ME · Public | not reported | $11,277 | 23% | $48,636 |
| Thomas CollegeWaterville, ME · Private nonprofit | 96% | $23,739 | 58% | $53,206 |
| Unity Environmental UniversityNew Gloucester, ME · Private nonprofit | not reported | $20,750 | 20% | $46,894 |
| University of MaineOrono, ME · Public | 97% | $17,224 | 57% | $59,140 |
| University of Maine at AugustaAugusta, ME · Public | not reported | $9,721 | 25% | $44,543 |
| University of Maine at FarmingtonFarmington, ME · Public | 97% | $17,158 | 50% | $47,674 |
| University of Maine at Fort KentFort Kent, ME · Public | 98% | $11,167 | 35% | $56,874 |
| University of Maine at Presque IslePresque Isle, ME · Public | 100% | $10,972 | 39% | $47,161 |
| University of New EnglandBiddeford, ME · Private nonprofit | 92% | $38,617 | 62% | $68,670 |
| University of Southern MainePortland, ME · Public | 79% | $14,927 | 43% | $57,989 |
| York County Community CollegeWells, ME · Public | not reported | $3,013 | 27% | $45,918 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Maine in brief
Of the 25 colleges listed for Maine, 13 are public, 11 are private nonprofit and 1 is private for-profit. By level, 17 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 7 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 1 mainly awards graduate degrees. Together they teach about 53,945 undergraduates, 63% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Maine, Unity Environmental University and Southern Maine Community College, hold 38% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 1,800 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Bangor (3), Portland (3) and Waterville (2).
What college costs in Maine
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $9,698 a year for students from Maine and $15,378 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $45,822. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at York County Community College ($3,013) and Central Maine Community College ($5,388) and the highest at Beal University ($49,163) and Maine College of Art & Design ($40,801). The median net price across the state, $17,191, is about the same as the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
15 of the 25 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Colby College (7.1% admitted), Bowdoin College (7.1% admitted) and Bates College (13% admitted). 11 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 9 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at Bowdoin College (93%), Bates College (88%) and Colby College (87%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 47%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Maine Maritime Academy ($101,511), Bates College ($98,373) and Bowdoin College ($90,153). The state median for that measure is $48,302, 9% below the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $20,474 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Maine
How many colleges are there in Maine?
This site lists 25 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Maine, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Maine?
University of Maine in Orono, with about 8,496 undergraduate students.
Which college in Maine has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, York County Community College: students with federal aid paid an average of $3,013 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.