Most Affordable Colleges in Maine (2026)
Updated
Most Affordable Colleges in Maine lists 16 four-year nonprofit schools in Maine. Schools are ordered by their average net price for families earning under $30,000, lowest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page.
Bates College ranks 1st on this list, with an average net price of $2,397 for families earning under $30,000. Across the page, the figure ranges from $2,397 to $31,589, with a median of $12,648 for families earning under $30,000.
The list includes 6 public institutions and 10 private nonprofits. University of Maine at Fort Kent reports the lowest average net price, at $7,482.
Bowdoin College ranks 216th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bates College · Lewiston, ME | $70,028 | $29,351 | $2,397 | 13.3% |
| Bates College reports an average net price of $2,397 for families earning under $30,000, and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $70,028 four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Bowdoin College · Brunswick, ME | $79,722 | $14,398 | $3,145 | 7.1% |
| Bowdoin College posts a six-year completion rate of 95% and median earnings of $79,722 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, the most selective admission rate on the list, and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $77,429 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Maine at Fort Kent · Fort Kent, ME | $74,979 | $7,482 | $8,163 | 97.9% |
| University of Maine at Fort Kent, a public university in Fort Kent, carries an average net price of $8,163 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | University of Maine at Augusta · Augusta, ME | $51,475 | $10,924 | $9,421 | Not reported |
| Graduates of University of Maine at Augusta earn a median of $51,475 four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,421 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | Maine Maritime Academy · Castine, ME | $113,298 | $23,414 | $9,511 | 54.1% |
| Maine Maritime Academy ranks 238th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $113,298 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of Southern Maine · Portland, ME | $60,816 | $13,596 | $9,999 | 79.2% |
| University of Southern Maine admits 79% of applicants and lists an average net price of $9,999 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 8 | University of Maine · Orono, ME | $63,056 | $17,510 | $12,642 | 96.6% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 55%, University of Maine reports median earnings of $63,056 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Thomas College · Waterville, ME | $54,264 | $18,885 | $12,655 | 96.3% |
| Thomas College, a private nonprofit institution in Waterville, reports an average net price of $12,655 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 10 | University of Maine at Farmington · Farmington, ME | $44,430 | $16,857 | $13,301 | 96.7% |
| University of Maine at Farmington shows median earnings of $44,430 for its graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 97%. | |||||
| 11 | Husson University · Bangor, ME | $62,950 | $21,005 | $16,606 | 81.0% |
| Husson University posts a six-year completion rate of 59% and an average net price of $16,606 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | 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 and reports an average net price of $18,370 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 13 | College of the Atlantic · Bar Harbor, ME | $32,352 | $25,184 | $20,415 | 70.2% |
| College of the Atlantic reports median earnings of $32,352 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $20,415 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 14 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine · Standish, ME | $73,164 | $27,555 | $20,728 | 83.5% |
| Saint Joseph's College of Maine admits 84% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 66%. | |||||
| 15 | University of New England · Biddeford, ME | $71,281 | $38,107 | $31,371 | 91.6% |
| Graduates of University of New England earn a median of $71,281 four years after completing, while the school's average net price for families earning under $30,000 is $31,371. | |||||
| 16 | Maine College of Art & Design · Portland, ME | $40,550 | $38,338 | $31,589 | 76.1% |
| Maine College of Art & Design ranks 1453rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and has an admission rate of 76%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by their average net price for families earning under $30,000, lowest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings data shown reflect median pay for federally aided completers across all fields who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. The list does not adjust for who enrolls and is not a measure of teaching quality. For families earning under $30,000, the gap between Bates College and Bowdoin College is $748, and the spread from top to bottom is $29,192.