Colleges

Maine has about thirty universities, colleges, community colleges, two-year associate degree granting institutions, and the separate institutions of the University of Maine System. Each has its own identity, mission, and appeal to students from different areas of the state, with varying interests and levels of academic achievement.

In 2003 the public technical colleges were renamed and their missions revised. They are now known as “community colleges,” as noted below. The official establishment of the Maine Community College System marked the beginning of an era of major growth. Enrollment in the seven colleges has grown by 62% since 2002, to 16,361 in the fall of 2009. In addition, during that time the colleges have seen an 83% increase in students entering directly from high school.

The former Casco Bay College was acquired by Andover College, which in turn was acquired by Kaplan University. Husson College became Husson University in 2008.

A full understanding of each begins with a visit to its web site and campus. For those with a physical presence in Maine, here are comparisons based on categories frequently used by students and families to select those that may be appropriate for their needs. Be advised that rankings vary among those producing them. Other data will vary with time and interpretation. The information below was assembled in June 2010.

Type includes years for a degree, public (Pu), private (Pr), secular (S) or religious (R). Thus, Unity College is”4PrS” meaning a four-year private secular institution.  “SAT Scores” are ranges for the middle 50% of incoming freshmen. “Enrollment” includes full time and part-time students when the information is available.

Institution, Web Site	Link	Type	SAT Range2	ACT Range2	Enroll- ment	% Admitted	Tuition & fees5	Category6	National Rank3
Bangor Theo. Seminary	Bangor	4PrR*	NR	NR	159	NF	$410/credit4	Other	NF
Bates	Lewiston	4PrS	1260-1430	NF	1,776	29%	$51,400	LA	T1 25 / F114
Beal	Bangor	2PrS	NF	NF	44010	100%11	$14,31011	Other	NF
Bowdoin	Brunswick	4PrS	1300-1510	29-33	1,723	19%	$50,570	LA	T1 6 / F114
CMMC**	Lewiston	2PrS	960-1,2601	NF	163	NF	$16,20010	Other	NF
Central MCC	Auburn	2PuS	NR	NR	2,7097	NF	$3,516/ $6,0364	CC	NF
Colby	Waterville	4PrS	1280-1430	28 – 31	1,847	31%	$50,120	LA	T1 22 / F24
College of the Atlantic	Bar Harbor	4PrS	610-710	560-650	3054	69%	$42,6304		T3
Eastern MCC	Bangor	2PuS	NF	NR	2,1497	49%10	$3,135/ $5,59510	CC	NF
Husson U.	Bangor	4PrS	830-10201	NF	2,259	86%	$12,990	UM	T4
Kaplan U.	So.Portland	4PrS	NF	NF	1,050+4	NF	NF	NF	Unranked
Kennebec Valley CC	Fairfield	2PuS	NR	NR	2,4747	NF	$84/$126/$1688	CC	NF
Maine Coll. of Art	Portland	4PrS	880-11501	NR	3509	NF	$27,965	Other	NF
Maine Maritime Academy	Castine	4PuS	930-11301	NF	858	68%	$8,280/ $12,420 /$17,0008	BC	T1 10
Northern MCC	Presque Isle	2PuS	NR	NR	1,0627	67%10	$84/$126/$1688	CC	NF
So. New Hampsh. U.	Brunswick	4PrS	NF	NF	300 (est.)4	86%	$26,442	UM	T3
Southern MCC	So.Portland	2PuS	NR	NR	6,2707	86%10	NF	CC	NF
St Josephs	Standish	4PrR	NF	NF	1,0624	NF	$26,050	UM	T4
Thomas	Waterville	4PrS	850-10101	NF	900 (est.)4	81%	$20,170	BC	T4
Unity	Unity	4PrS	NR	NR	500+4	NF	$20,350	BC	T4
U. of Maine	Orono	4PuS	950-11701	19-25	9,667	77%	$1900/  $22,000	NU	T3 / F376
U of Maine Augusta	Augusta	4PuS	NF	NF	5,202	77%	$6,855  $15,375	BC	T4
U of Maine Machias	Machias	4PuS	810-9101	NF	1,023	83%	$6,190/ $16,210	LA	T4
U of Maine Farmington	Farmington	4PuS	890-11101	NF	2,194	68%	$7,520/ $14,810	BC	T1 20
U of Maine  Fort Kent	Fort Kent	4PuS	700-9501	NF	1,102	76%	$6,089/ $13,769	BC	T3
U of Maine P. I.	Presque Isle	4PuS	780-10301	NF	1,454	NF	$6,835/  $15,985	LA	Unranked
U of New England	Biddeford	4PrS	970-11601	NF	2,395	78%	$42,325	UM	T1 81
U of So. Maine	Portland Gorham	4PuS	900-11201	NF	7,879	81%	$7,467/$18,987	UM	T3
Washington County CC	Calais	2PuS	NR	NR	4607	NF	$84/$126/$1688	CC	NF
York County CC	Wells	2PuS	NR	NR	1,4267	NF	$4,000/$6,000	CC	NF

---

NF = not found; NR = not required. *No fulltime-part-time distinction reported.

*Primarily for college graduates, though a five-year program can result in a
bachelor’s degree and a Masters of Divinity.

** “MCC” = “Maine Community College”

¹ Range for Critical Reading and Mathematics sections. Does not include writing score. (from http ://collegesearch.collegeboard.com)

² From Forbes.com “Special Report. America’s Best
Colleges,” at http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/02/best-colleges-ratings-opinions-ranking-2009_land.html?boxes=listschannelinsidelists;
NR = not required by institution.

³ From U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges,” where the top 50% receive a numerical ranking (lower is better, e.g., T1 12), and T3 = the next 25% (no individual ranking), and T4 = the bottom 25% (no individual ranking).

Ranking of F### is the national ranking by Forbes.com, where available.

⁴ From institution’s web site.

⁵ Total cost may include tuition, room and board, books, fees, and
other expenses, where applicable; for Maine state institutions “in
state/out of state” fees are noted

⁶ Categories of U.S. News & World Report rankings, except “Community College,” which represents those in the Maine Community College System.

⁷ From http://www.mccs.me.edu/press/pr/092309.pdf.
(includes degree and non-degree students, Fall 2009)

⁸ Per credit hour tuition for Maine residents/New England residents,

(New Brunswick residents – for Washington County and Northern Maine CCs only)/Non-Residents. From http ://www.wccc.me.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=33&Itemid=72

⁹ Includes graduate students

¹⁰ From www braintrack.com

¹¹ From www matchcollege.com/college/160995/Beal-College/ME#admission

Reporting on a 2006 assessment by the U.S. Education Department, the New York Times noted that only 27 percent of freshmen entering colleges and universities in 1998 graduated in four years.  For private colleges and universities the rate was 50 percent.

Among public institutions, the graduation rate in 6 years or 4 years in 2006 included the following (ranked by 6-year graduation rate):

1. University of Virginia (92%/83%)

38. University of Connecticut ((71%/45%

43. Maine Maritime Academy (69%/54%)

47. University of Vermont (67%/50%)

81. University of Massachusetts, Amherst (62%/43%)

82. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (62%/41)

103. University of Maine, Farmington (58%/32%)

Additional resources

America’s Best Colleges 2002 Edition.  U.S. News & World Report.
Washington, DC. 2005. http ://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges

see Frequently Asked Questions at http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2009/08/19/frequently-asked-questions-rankings.html

College Board home page at http://www.collegeboard.org.

“Public Colleges to See You Through.”  New
York Times. Education Life. April 23, 2006, pp. 12-13.