Best Colleges in Maine (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in Maine ranks 16 four-year institutions in the state. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Maine, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. Bowdoin College ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $79,722 for its graduates four years after completing. The list includes 6 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions.
Bowdoin College ranks 216th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, and University of Maine at Fort Kent posts the lowest average net price at $7,482. University of Maine at Fort Kent has the highest admission rate, admitting 98% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowdoin College · Brunswick, ME | $79,722 | $14,398 | $3,145 | 7.1% |
| Bowdoin College ranks 1st on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 95%. | |||||
| 2 | Maine Maritime Academy · Castine, ME | $113,298 | $23,414 | $9,511 | 54.1% |
| Maine Maritime Academy reports median earnings of $113,298 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Colby College · Waterville, ME | $77,429 | $17,180 | $4,049 | 7.1% |
| Colby College admits 7% of applicants and carries an average net price of $17,180. | |||||
| 4 | Unity Environmental University · New Gloucester, ME | $45,016 | $19,104 | $18,370 | Not reported |
| Unity Environmental University ranks 372nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 29%. | |||||
| 5 | University of Southern Maine · Portland, ME | $60,816 | $13,596 | $9,999 | 79.2% |
| University of Southern Maine shows an average net price of $9,999 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | Bates College · Lewiston, ME | $70,028 | $29,351 | $2,397 | 13.3% |
| Bates College graduates 90% of its students within six years and reports median earnings of $70,028 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of Maine · Orono, ME | $63,056 | $17,510 | $12,642 | 96.6% |
| University of Maine admits 97% of applicants and ranks 615th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 8 | University of Maine at Fort Kent · Fort Kent, ME | $74,979 | $7,482 | $8,163 | 97.9% |
| With an average net price of $7,482, University of Maine at Fort Kent posts median earnings of $74,979 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | University of Maine at Augusta · Augusta, ME | $51,475 | $10,924 | $9,421 | Not reported |
| University of Maine at Augusta has a six-year completion rate of 27% and an average net price of $9,421 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 10 | Husson University · Bangor, ME | $62,950 | $21,005 | $16,606 | 81.0% |
| Husson University admits 81% of applicants and reports median earnings of $62,950 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine · Standish, ME | $73,164 | $27,555 | $20,728 | 83.5% |
| Saint Joseph's College of Maine graduates 66% of its students within six years and carries an average net price of $27,555. | |||||
| 12 | Thomas College · Waterville, ME | $54,264 | $18,885 | $12,655 | 96.3% |
| Thomas College ranks 1264th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 96% of applicants. | |||||
| 13 | University of New England · Biddeford, ME | $71,281 | $38,107 | $31,371 | 91.6% |
| University of New England reports median earnings of $71,281 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $38,107. | |||||
| 14 | University of Maine at Farmington · Farmington, ME | $44,430 | $16,857 | $13,301 | 96.7% |
| A six-year completion rate of 52% accompanies an admission rate of 97% at University of Maine at Farmington. | |||||
| 15 | College of the Atlantic · Bar Harbor, ME | $32,352 | $25,184 | $20,415 | 70.2% |
| College of the Atlantic ranks 1357th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $20,415 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 16 | Maine College of Art & Design · Portland, ME | $40,550 | $38,338 | $31,589 | 76.1% |
| Maine College of Art & Design ranks 16th on this list and reports median earnings of $40,550 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Maine, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The score draws on median earnings of each institution's federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, for those working and not enrolled. The list does not measure fit or teaching quality. Bowdoin College ranks 216th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Maine Maritime Academy ranks 238th. The 16 schools on this page include 6 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions.