Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Schools are assigned a value from 1-100, where 100 is best for students from households earning up to $30,000. This value is multiplied by the percentage of the school’s student body that received a Pell Grant, to calculate the economic mobility score. A higher score is better. Read the full explanation
The percentage of a school’s student body that has received a Pell Grant.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
The best colleges in Maine go to Colby College in first place and Bowdoin College in second. Home to some of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges, Maine is an ideal state for students looking to pursue a quality education in a peaceful setting. Among the state's attractions are its delicious seafood and lobster, charming coastal towns dotted with lighthouses, and scenic routes along the coastline, such as Route 1 and Route 9.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,507
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$80,490
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate90%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$18,533
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$82,735
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$21,385
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$89,964
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate75%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$29,341
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$69,498
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate92%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$11,982
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$51,077
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate52%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$29,319
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$59,045
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate61%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$17,175
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$48,653
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate56%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,698
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$44,433
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate61%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$37,516
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$55,921
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate63%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$21,279
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$44,991
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate52%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,517
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$45,025
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate59%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,016
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$37,852
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate53%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,137
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$49,958
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate48%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$10,142
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$40,342
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate33%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$34,545
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$40,778
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate37%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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Average income based on education level
The following figures are the average salaries in Maine for each level of education.
Average Income
The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
HS Diploma$36,375
CertificateN/A
Associate$57,467
Bachelor$61,065
Master$79,806
Cost of attending college in Maine
In-state-tuition$28,106
The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Out-of-state-tuition$32,775
The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Most popular degrees in Maine
In Maine the most popular degrees are Registered Nursing, Business Administration, and Education-grades & methods. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard.
They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.
Popular degrees
1Registered Nursing 906graduates
2Business Administration 679graduates
3Education-grades & methods 378graduates
4Biology 340graduates
5Social Work 327graduates
6General Psychology 303graduates
7Poli Sci/Government 293graduates
8Natural Resource Conservation 256graduates
9Liberal Arts and Sciences 239graduates
10Economics 232graduates
Fastest growing careers
Maine job growth
2.2%
Dental Laboratory Technicians
60%
Nurse Practitioners
37.4%
Occupational Therapy Assistants
25%
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
24.3%
Medical and Health Services Managers
23.4%
Physician Assistants
22.5%
Physical Therapist Assistants
21.9%
Statisticians
20%
Audiologists
20%
Financial Examiners
18.5%
Best bachelor’s degrees in Maine
These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.
Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds.
To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).
The best colleges for social mobility in Maine are shown below.
Bachelor's degree holders or higher
33.9%
Filters
Maine
2.2%
