Best Public Colleges in Maine 2025

Badge for BEST IN MAINE PUBLIC COLLEGES

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Maine provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

Key Takeaways

  • The best public colleges in Maine offer competitive tuition rates for in-state students, making higher education more accessible and reducing the financial burden.
  • The colleges in our ranking emphasize student support services, from career counseling to alumni networks, helping students transition from academics to the workforce effectively.
  • The best public colleges in Maine focus on in-demand fields, such as maritime and engineering, offering clear career paths with strong industry connections for hands-on learning and job placements.

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best public colleges in Maine remained fairly stable. Maine Maritime Academy gained a ranking positions as a result of the college implementing significant upgrades to appeal to its students, particularly in hands-on training and infrastructure. One of the standout improvements is the arrival of the new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), a state-of-the-art training ship designed to enhance maritime education through advanced simulation and disaster-response capabilities. This vessel will support immersive, real-world training experiences essential for cadets in maritime fields, scheduled to arrive mid-2025.

Additionally, MMA has embarked on an extensive waterfront redevelopment project, including pier upgrades to support the NSMV, enhancing both functionality and resilience against severe weather conditions. Alongside these developments, federal funding of $2.8 million is being allocated to equip the NSMV with high-tech simulation laboratories, while $2.4 million is supporting the expansion of MMA’s apprentice program, which offers students practical experience tailored to the maritime industry’s demands. These strategic investments are designed to boost MMA’s appeal by providing a cutting-edge educational environment and clear pathways to careers in maritime sectors.

This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 8 public universities in Maine. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Maine, schools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.

Best Public Colleges in Maine

  1. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    94%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    15K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1200/26

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Maine

    Cost of Degree: $12,606
    Expenses: $15,966
    Starting Salary: $48,300
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    University of Maine’s Online Degrees

    BS in Business Administration
    Degree Concentrations
    • Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Economics
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Political Science
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BUS in University Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  2. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    85%

    Graduation

    42%

    Student body

    10K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1109/22

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Southern Maine

    Cost of Degree: $10,920
    Expenses: $15,892
    Starting Salary: $44,400
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    University of Southern Maine’s Online Degrees

    BS in Applied Technical Leadership
    • Required Credits: 121
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Business Administration
    Degree Concentrations
    • Management
    • Required Credits: 121
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Social And Behavioral Sciences
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Communication
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Leadership And Organizational Studies
    Degree Concentrations
    • Integrative Professional Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  3. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $15K

    Acceptance

    58%

    Graduation

    66%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1175/25

    Career Outlook for degree at Maine Maritime Academy

    Cost of Degree: $14,746
    Expenses: $16,426
    Starting Salary: $107,200
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Maine Maritime Academy known for?

    Maine Maritime Academy’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  4. Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Graduation

    23%

    Student body

    6K

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Maine at Augusta

    Cost of Degree: $8,618
    Expenses: $13,500
    Starting Salary: $30,600
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is University of Maine at Augusta known for?

    University of Maine at Augusta’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

  5. Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    94%

    Graduation

    53%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Maine at Farmington

    Cost of Degree: $10,989
    Expenses: $15,374
    Starting Salary: $37,500
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is University of Maine at Farmington known for?

    University of Maine at Farmington’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  6. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    97%

    Graduation

    29%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Maine at Presque Isle

    Cost of Degree: $9,080
    Expenses: $13,700
    Starting Salary: $35,300
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is University of Maine at Presque Isle known for?

    University of Maine at Presque Isle’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Online Degrees

    BA in Accounting
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Business Administration
    Degree Concentrations
    • Accounting
    • Project Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BLS in Liberal Studies
    Degree Concentrations
    • Accounting
    • Management
    • Project Management
    • Educational Studies
    • Management Information Systems
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Criminal Justice
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in English
    Degree Concentrations
    • Professional Communication And Journalism
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  7. Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    99%

    Graduation

    37%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Maine at Fort Kent

    Cost of Degree: $9,045
    Expenses: $12,532
    Starting Salary: $37,700
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is University of Maine at Fort Kent known for?

    University of Maine at Fort Kent’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Online Degrees

    BS in Cybersecurity
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Allied Health
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  8. What is University of Maine at Machias known for?

    University of Maine at Machias’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    University of Maine at Machias’s Online Degrees

    BA in Psychology And Community Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Environmental Geographic Information Science
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
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Maine’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

  1. University of Maine
  2. University of Maine at Farmington
  3. Maine Maritime Academy

Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.

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