Why This Matters

  • 19 COLLEGES IN MAINE

    According to College Navigator, Maine has 8 public colleges and 11 private non-profit institutions.

  • $10,750 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    Estimates by the College Board place the average in-state tuition and fees at $10,750 for Maine residents who attended a public college during the academic year 2020-21.

  • $14,940 IN FINANCIAL AID FOR U.S. STUDENTS

    Full-time undergraduate students in the United States received an average of $14,980 in financial aid for the 2019-20 academic year.

Our Research

Our list of the best colleges in Maine includes a diverse array of schools. We reviewed liberal arts colleges, midsize universities, and large research institutions, basing our research on factors like tuition, credits required to graduate, and whether on-campus or online courses are available.

To ensure a quality list of schools, we only considered colleges recognized by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

We evaluated each program on the basis of flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score for each program on a scale from 0 to 100. Our top picks for the best Colleges In Maine program are affordable, respected, and flexible. (For a more extensive explanation, check out Our Ranking Methodology.)

  • 76 hours to write this article
  • 205 universities and colleges we assessed
  • 231 education programs we compared

The Top 30 Colleges In Maine

Best Colleges In Maine
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What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Maine

To maximize your future earning potential, you should consider future careers when choosing a college and major. In October 2020, the largest five industries for employment in Maine were education and health services; trade, transportation, and utilities; government; goods-producing services; and retail trade.

For college-educated professionals, the five fastest growing careers in Maine are physician assistants, statisticians, nurse practitioners, information security analysts, and respiratory therapists. Selecting a degree related to any of these fields can lead to a promising career trajectory.

Some of the largest employers in Maine are the Pen Bay Medical Center, Hall Erica PA, IAMAW, and Mid Coast Group Physician. There are many other companies and organizations in Maine that employ thousands of people, and many of these employers are looking for college graduates who have degrees relevant to those fastest growing careers.

What’s Next?

When researching different colleges in Maine, investigate what financial aid you qualify for. Here are some of the state and federal resources that you can use to explore grant, scholarship, and financial aid options for undergraduate Maine students.

  • Financial Authority of Maine (FAME). FAME provides information on in-state college tuition along with scholarship and loan opportunities that are available to Maine residents.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education provides more than $120 billion in financial aid every year. These funds provide students with grants, scholarships, work-study positions, and loans. Find out if you’re eligible via the FAFSA4caster, and apply through the FAFSA online form if you are eligible.
  • CareerOneStop. This organization offers extensive information on grants and scholarships that are available in each state. The site is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the information is easily sortable according to amounts, qualifications, deadlines, and other filters.