Best Colleges in Maine

The higher education experts at BestColleges.com have reviewed the top 4-year colleges in Maine. Start planning your future at BestColleges.
Hannah Muniz
By
Updated September 24, 2024
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According to data from the Maine Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI), Maine can expect virtually no job growth from 2016 to 2026. Despite this sobering outlook for the state’s economy, certain industries in Maine should experience steady growth during this period. For example, the CWRI projects employment in healthcare occupations to increase by 9%, adding roughly 5,800 new positions in the coming years. Employment in computer and mathematical occupations is also projected to grow just over 6%.

While you may find entry-level jobs in these fields with just a high school diploma, the most lucrative roles usually require a postsecondary education. For instance, registered nurses in Maine earned an annual mean wage of $67,610 in 2018, nearly $21,000 more per year than the average pay for all other occupations in the state. Computer systems analysts in the state earned even more, with an annual mean wage of $81,670. Both of these roles typically require a college degree.

To help you decide where to continue your education, we have compiled a ranking of the best colleges in Maine. Each of the profiles below includes helpful information on the school’s admission requirements, programs of study, online education options, and financial aid opportunities. Additionally, each college on this list holds regional accreditation.

In this Article
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Best Accredited Colleges in Maine

#1

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME4 yearCampus

$60,952

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$60,952

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

9%

Acceptance Rate

N/A

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

96%

Students Enrolled

1,915

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$60,952

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$60,952

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME4 yearCampus

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$60,952

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$60,952

Acceptance Rate

9%

Online Enrollment

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

96%

Students Enrolled

1,915

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#2

Colby College

Waterville, ME4 yearCampus

$60,840

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$60,840

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

8%

Acceptance Rate

77%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

93%

Students Enrolled

2,299

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$60,840

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$60,840

Colby College

Waterville, ME4 yearCampus

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$60,840

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$60,840

Acceptance Rate

8%

Online Enrollment

77%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

93%

Students Enrolled

2,299

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#3

Bates College

Lewiston, ME4 yearCampus

$61,066

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$61,066

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

14%

Acceptance Rate

N/A

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

93%

Students Enrolled

1,790

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$61,066

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$61,066

Bates College

Lewiston, ME4 yearCampus

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$61,066

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$61,066

Acceptance Rate

14%

Online Enrollment

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

93%

Students Enrolled

1,790

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#4

College of the Atlantic

Bar Harbor, ME2 yearCampus

$44,280

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$44,280

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

60%

Acceptance Rate

N/A

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$29,520

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,520

Retention Rate

74%

Students Enrolled

380

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$44,280

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$44,280

College of the Atlantic

Bar Harbor, ME2 yearCampus

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$44,280

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$44,280

Acceptance Rate

60%

Online Enrollment

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$29,520

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,520

Retention Rate

74%

Students Enrolled

380

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#5

Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME4 yearCampus + Online

$41,586

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$41,586

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

81%

Acceptance Rate

59%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$9,630

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$9,630

Retention Rate

77%

Students Enrolled

1,478

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$41,586

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$41,586

Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$41,586

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$41,586

Acceptance Rate

81%

Online Enrollment

59%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$9,630

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$9,630

Retention Rate

77%

Students Enrolled

1,478

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#6

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME4 yearCampus + Online

$8,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$24,300

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

85%

Acceptance Rate

63%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,776

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$22,500

Retention Rate

67%

Students Enrolled

7,583

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$24,300

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$24,300

Acceptance Rate

85%

Online Enrollment

63%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,776

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$22,500

Retention Rate

67%

Students Enrolled

7,583

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#7

University of Maine at Farmington

Farmington, ME2 yearCampus + Online

$8,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$20,400

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

94%

Acceptance Rate

45%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$10,248

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$10,248

Retention Rate

71%

Students Enrolled

1,837

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,400

University of Maine at Farmington

Farmington, ME2 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,400

Acceptance Rate

94%

Online Enrollment

45%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$10,248

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$10,248

Retention Rate

71%

Students Enrolled

1,837

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#8

University of New England

Biddeford, ME4 yearCampus + Online

$39,510

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$39,510

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

96%

Acceptance Rate

41%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$29,607

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,607

Retention Rate

70%

Students Enrolled

6,434

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$39,510

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$39,510

University of New England

Biddeford, ME4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$39,510

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$39,510

Acceptance Rate

96%

Online Enrollment

41%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$29,607

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,607

Retention Rate

70%

Students Enrolled

6,434

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#9

University of Maine

Orono, ME4 yearCampus + Online

$11,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$33,240

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

94%

Acceptance Rate

60%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$9,738

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,214

Retention Rate

75%

Students Enrolled

11,571

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$11,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$33,240

University of Maine

Orono, ME4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$11,640

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$33,240

Acceptance Rate

94%

Online Enrollment

60%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$9,738

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,214

Retention Rate

75%

Students Enrolled

11,571

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#10

Husson University

Bangor, ME2 yearCampus + Online

$20,150

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$20,150

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

91%

Acceptance Rate

62%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$17,220

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$17,220

Retention Rate

79%

Students Enrolled

3,078

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$20,150

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,150

Husson University

Bangor, ME2 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$20,150

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,150

Acceptance Rate

91%

Online Enrollment

62%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$17,220

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$17,220

Retention Rate

79%

Students Enrolled

3,078

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

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