Best Colleges in Maine 2026

Maine's top colleges excel through strong faculty-to-student ratios, specialized programs, and impressive graduate outcomes. Our ranking of 17 qualifying institutions reveals an interesting pattern: four of the five leading schools are private nonprofits, with only Maine Maritime Academy representing public education in the top tier.

The standout institutions combine rigorous academics with focused career preparation. Bowdoin and Colby offer comprehensive liberal arts education, while Maine College of Health Professions and The Landing School provide targeted professional training. When evaluating Maine schools, students should prioritize program quality, class sizes, and post-graduation employment rates. Consider whether you prefer a broad liberal arts foundation or specialized technical training, as Maine's top schools excel in both approaches.

Schools Ranked

$52,455

Avg. Earnings

55.0%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	Maine College of Health Professions Lewiston, Maine	83.3%	$79,840	56.3%	$17,827
2	Bowdoin College Brunswick, Maine	95.6%	$82,735	9.2%	$64,910
3	The Landing School Arundel, Maine	100.0%	$65,849		$27,700
4	Colby College Waterville, Maine	90.2%	$80,490	7.6%	$66,600
5	Maine Maritime Academy Castine, Maine	61.4%	$89,964	57.7%	$14,746
6	Bates College Lewiston, Maine	90.6%	$69,498	13.7%	$63,478
7	Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield, Maine	47.8%	$36,035		$3,562
8	Washington County Community College Calais, Maine	43.4%	$34,407		$3,687
9	Northern Maine Community College Presque Isle, Maine	33.3%	$43,348		$3,880
10	Eastern Maine Community College Bangor, Maine	33.0%	$41,704		$3,877
11	York County Community College Wells, Maine	27.6%	$44,873		$3,866
12	Central Maine Community College Auburn, Maine	27.6%	$42,448		$3,864
13	University of Maine Orono, Maine	56.4%	$48,653	94.0%	$12,606
14	University of Southern Maine Portland, Maine	46.3%	$49,958	85.4%	$10,920
15	Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish, Maine	68.5%	$59,045	80.8%	$42,834
16	Southern Maine Community College South Portland, Maine	21.2%	$41,661		$3,797
17	University of Maine at Farmington Farmington, Maine	52.8%	$44,433	94.2%	$10,989
18	University of Maine at Augusta Augusta, Maine	23.3%	$40,342		$8,618
19	College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, Maine	69.2%	$40,264	60.1%	$46,179
20	Unity Environmental University New Gloucester, Maine	57.0%	$37,852	94.3%	$12,640
21	Husson University Bangor, Maine	56.7%	$45,025	91.3%	$22,194
22	University of Maine at Fort Kent Fort Kent, Maine	39.8%	$51,077	99.2%	$9,045
23	University of New England Biddeford, Maine	60.8%	$55,921	96.3%	$42,550
24	University of Maine at Presque Isle Presque Isle, Maine	37.7%	$40,956	97.0%	$8,990
25	Thomas College Waterville, Maine	51.4%	$44,991	97.2%	$30,896