How Higher Education Is Organized in Maine

Maine has about 1.4 million residents spread across a large, mostly rural state, and its colleges reflect that geography. Public campuses anchor small towns from Calais to Fort Kent. Private liberal arts colleges sit along the coast and in the river valleys. Our directory lists 51 colleges and schools across 27 cities, so the right starting point depends on where you live and what you want to study.

No single office runs every college in the state. Public institutions answer to their own boards of trustees. Private colleges govern themselves and are reviewed by accrediting bodies, usually the New England Commission of Higher Education. The Maine Department of Education handles state authorization for degree-granting schools, and trade programs such as cosmetology fall under separate licensing rules. Knowing which layer applies to a school helps you ask the right questions.

The University of Maine System and the Community Colleges

Most Maine students start with one of two public systems. The University of Maine System includes seven universities: the University of Maine in Orono, campuses at Augusta, Farmington, Fort Kent, Machias and Presque Isle, and the University of Southern Maine. The flagship in Orono is the state's land-grant and sea-grant university, founded in 1865. The Maine Community College System has seven colleges and admits students to most programs on an open basis.

Our database includes these public campuses:

Two details are worth knowing. The University of Maine System Central Office listing, at 15 Estabrooke Drive in Orono (207-973-3205), is administrative. For applications, contact the campus you want. Southern Maine Community College appears in our data at 11 Park Street in Bath, a Sagadahoc County address. Confirm with the college which location offers your program, since its main campus is in South Portland.

Community college graduates can often transfer credits into the university system. Ask the admissions office for the written transfer agreement for your specific program before you enroll, so you know which courses will count.

Private Colleges and Specialty Schools Across Maine

Maine's independent sector is small but well known. Bowdoin College in Brunswick (255 Maine Street) was chartered in 1794. Colby College in Waterville (4000 Mayflower Hill Drive) dates to 1813. Bates College in Lewiston, founded in 1855, completes the trio of selective liberal arts colleges. College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor (105 Eden Street) focuses on human ecology, and Maine College of Art at 522 Congress Street anchors Portland's arts scene.

The University of New England runs its main campus on Hills Beach Road in Biddeford and also has a Portland campus. Saint Joseph's College of Maine in Standish is another private listing, though it is wise to confirm current programs with the college directly.

Smaller schools serve narrow trades. The Landing School in Arundel teaches boatbuilding and yacht design. Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton trains direct-entry midwives. Central Maine Medical Center College of Nursing and Health Professions in Lewiston, at 70 Middle Street, is tied to a hospital. Seacoast Career Schools in Sanford, Northeast Technical Institute in Scarborough, and Spa Tech Institute in Westbrook offer shorter, career-focused training.

A caution on older listings: our data still includes two Kaplan University campuses, in Augusta and South Portland. Kaplan University became Purdue University Global in 2018, so call before you drive anywhere. Federal records often lag behind campus closures.

Southern Coast, Penobscot Valley, and the North: Regional Differences

Where you live shapes your options more than almost anything else. Cumberland County holds the most listings, 14, covering Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Brunswick, Scarborough, Standish and Bridgton. Students there can choose among public, private and career schools within a short drive, and commuting from home is realistic.

The Bangor and Orono corridor in Penobscot County is the center of the east. Bangor alone has seven listings, and the University of Maine campus in Orono draws students from across the state. In Androscoggin County, the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn pair Bates College and Central Maine Community College with the nursing college at Central Maine Medical Center.

Farther north and east, campuses are fewer and travel matters. Aroostook County has Northern Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Fort Kent, and winter driving can make a daily commute impractical. In Washington County, Washington County Community College in Calais and the University of Maine at Machias serve a wide, thinly populated stretch of the coast. Hancock County is home to College of the Atlantic and Maine Maritime Academy.

Rural campuses make up for distance with small classes, personal advising, and growing online and hybrid course options. If you cannot relocate, ask each college which degrees you can complete mostly online.

What to Bring and When to Contact a Maine College

Preparation is similar everywhere in the state. Gather these items before you call or visit:

Timing matters. Community colleges usually admit on a rolling basis, so you can often begin in either the fall or spring semester. Selective private colleges set firm fall or winter deadlines. Call the admissions office during weekday business hours, and ask for the financial aid office separately, since they are often different departments with different phone numbers.

Checking a School Before You Commit

Before paying a deposit, confirm three things. First, check the school's accreditation with the accreditor, not just the school's own website. Second, look up graduation and earnings data on the federal College Scorecard or College Navigator. Third, ask whether your program leads to a state license or certification, because some trades require one. For career schools, you can also ask the Maine Department of Education about authorization status.

High school students should also ask their guidance counselor about early college. Maine's public colleges let juniors and seniors earn college credit while still in school, often at reduced cost. The credits usually transfer within the state systems.

Adults returning to school can also visit a Maine CareerCenter, operated by the Maine Department of Labor, to ask about training funds and job-linked programs.

Public colleges and universities in Maine offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The Maine state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 27 cities across Maine. They are spread across 12 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Bangor, Portland, Lewiston, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in Maine should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in Maine applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many Maine institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across Maine to find the nearest location.

Paying for College in Maine: State Aid and Local Help

Cost is usually the deciding factor, and Maine has its own aid agency. The Finance Authority of Maine, known as FAME, administers the Maine State Grant and offers education loans for Maine students. Start with the FAFSA, because most state and college aid depends on it. FAME also oversees the Harold Alfond College Challenge, which has given a $500 grant to babies born in Maine to start a college savings account.

Public tuition is lower for Maine residents. The New England Regional Student Program lets residents pay reduced tuition at out-of-state New England public colleges for certain majors not offered in Maine. Veterans and their dependents should ask the school's veterans coordinator about state tuition benefits. Each campus posts its own costs, so compare net price rather than sticker price.

Browse the county pages to compare campuses near you, and phone the admissions office before any visit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Colleges in Maine

Maine has seven universities in the University of Maine System and seven colleges in the Maine Community College System. The universities are Orono, Augusta, Farmington, Fort Kent, Machias, Presque Isle and the University of Southern Maine. The community colleges are Central Maine in Auburn, Eastern Maine in Bangor, Kennebec Valley in Fairfield, Northern Maine in Presque Isle, Southern Maine in South Portland, Washington County in Calais and York County in Wells. Each system has its own board of trustees and central office. Maine Maritime Academy in Castine is a separate public institution with its own governance. Contact the individual campus for admissions, not the system office.

Our database lists three colleges in Aroostook County. Northern Maine Community College is at 33 Edgemont Drive in Presque Isle and can be reached at 207-768-2700. The University of Maine at Fort Kent is at 23 University Drive and answers at 207-834-7500. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is also in the county. Fort Kent sits in the St. John Valley on the Canadian border, so winter weather and long drives are real planning factors. Ask each campus about online and hybrid courses, and about housing if you live far away. A community college start followed by a university transfer is a common path to ask about.

Start with the accreditor's own directory. Most Maine colleges are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and you can confirm that on the commission's website rather than relying on the school's claim. Then check College Navigator, a free federal tool from the U.S. Department of Education, for enrollment, cost and graduation rates. Degree-granting schools also need authorization from the Maine Department of Education. If a program leads to a license, such as nursing or cosmetology, ask the school how many graduates pass the exam. Be careful with older listings: the two Kaplan University campuses in our data predate the 2018 change to Purdue University Global.

Community colleges such as Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor and Central Maine Community College in Auburn offer certificates and two-year associate degrees, and most programs admit on an open basis. Universities such as the University of Maine at Farmington grant bachelor's degrees and usually set admissions criteria. Community college tuition is generally lower, and many students finish an associate degree first, then transfer. Before you enroll, ask for the written transfer agreement for your major so you know which credits count. Some technical programs, such as nursing, may have limited seats and waiting lists, so apply early.

Maine has several schools built around its working coast and creative economy. Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, at 1 Pleasant Street, trains mariners and engineers; call 800-464-6565. The Landing School at 286 River Road in Arundel teaches boatbuilding and design, and its number is 207-985-7976. Maine College of Art, at 522 Congress Street in Portland, is the state's art college and can be reached at 207-669-5521. College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, 207-288-5015, studies human ecology, and Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton, 207-647-5968, trains midwives. Most of these are small, so schedule a campus visit well ahead.

Our database shows five listings in Lewiston. Central Maine Medical Center College of Nursing and Health Professions sits at 70 Middle Street and answers at 207-795-2840. Across the Androscoggin River in Auburn, Central Maine Community College is at 1250 Turner Street, 207-755-5100. Bates College is also in Lewiston. The two cities are close together, so comparing both campuses in one trip is practical. For health careers, ask the nursing college and the community college about clinical placements, prerequisites and how credits transfer between them.