Top Value Maine Colleges

Below you will find a list of the top value colleges in Maine that we found to provide the highest academic and career-based value for students.  In our study, we utilized a number of data sources from the US Census Bureau to the US Department of Education coupled with student and alumni feedback to ascertain the important elements of value in a college education.  Our team collected college data and arrived at the top value Maine colleges for you to research further.  Remember to use your best judgment and prioritize your academic goals and career aspirations to narrow down your list of top colleges.

List of Top Value Maine Colleges

Bowdoin College is a private liberal arts college located in Brunswick, Maine and was established in 1974. Its alumni are writers, entrepreneurs, scientists, tech giants, diplomats, conservationists, scholars, judges, business leaders, activists, farmers, and artists. Bowdoin College built a curriculum that stretches what is expected of the liberal arts, they worked hard for equality, diversity and inclusion in their coursework, student body, staffing and financial priorities. They are recognized to admit students of uncommon promise and uncommon character. Bowdoin College’s current student population is 1,805 and 51% of which is female while 49% is male. Their full=time faculty members are 189 and they take so much pride because 99% of them have the highest degree in their field.

Colby College is a private liberal arts college located in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813, making them the 12^th oldest liberal arts college in the United States. What sets them apart is the academic programs that they offer. They provide an intimate, undergraduate-focused learning environment with a breadth of programs which presents students and faculty with unparalleled opportunities. Their students will have a vibrant and fully integrated academic, residential and co-curricular experience. And the wide variety of programs and labs are designed to give the students and the community the access to other unique experiences.

Bates College is a private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine and was established in 1855. It has always stood firmly for the ideals of academic excellence, egalitarianism, freedom, intellectual curiosity, and social justice. It is a good site for engaged learning in a dynamic and accessible community. Bates College guarantees that they ensure to align who their students are according to what they do as the heart of the Bates experience. It is clearly seen that Bates’ unique personality rests on the bedrock values of academic excellence and social responsibility. They designed their academic programs to foster intellectual inquiry, reflection, and personal growth. Bates College also empowers commitment to the world beyond oneself.

Maine Maritime Academy is a public co-educational college located in Castine, Maine and was established in 1941. Its student population is approximately 950 students in courses of study in management, engineering, science and transportation. The rigorous courses and experiential programs that they offer are designed to equip students with the practical knowledge, skills, and training. Their objective is to help their students be prepared to launch successful careers upon completing an associate’s bachelor’s or master’s degree. Their students enjoy and benefit from the hands-on education that they receive. MMA students are provided with international sea-time aboard the Training Ship State of Maine or the Schooner Bowdoin, cooperative assignments, and cadet shipping aboard commercial vessels.

University of New England is a public university located in Australia with approximately 22,500 higher education students. It was established in 1938 and for over 60 years, it had been a leader in providing distance education to students throughout Australia and the world. It started as a College of the University of Sydney until in 1954, they became a fully independent university. University of New England’s focus is to provide their students a personal and flexible approach to learning. They have more than 200 courses at undergraduate, postgraduate coursework and higher degree research levels. Students have two options; they can choose to study online or on campus.

Maine College of Art is a private art college founded in 1882 making them the oldest arts educational institution in Maine. Since then, it has always been delivering transformative learning experience within an intimate and demanding educational environment. Maine College of Arts can effectively prepare students in the areas of artistic excellence, civic engagement, and creative entrepreneurship. And since they are located in the heart of the Portland Arts District on the southern coast of Maine, students can easily have access to Portland’s unique collective of culture, community, great food and outdoor recreation. Students benefit from the perks of being near a big city while remaining only minutes away from beaches, forests, lakes and an abundance of natural beauty. MECA takes pride in Maine’s unique heritage as a site for inspiration and inquiry.

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is a community that grows. It prepares the whole people to contribute to a whole world. A catholic, liberal arts college that is founded on a foundation of faith and academic excellence. They have an average enrollment of nearly 2,000 students each year. These students benefit from the close-knit campus with postcard-worthy space to explore that Saint Joseph’s provides. Saint Joseph’s College began rolling out their new college brand to the world that ushers the new way to communicate the role that Saint Joe’s has been fulfilling for more than a century.

College of the Atlantic is a private, liberal arts college located in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine and was established in 1969. It has an innovative approach to education that caught the attention of many national foundations, rankings and publications. According to the U.S. News & World Report, COA is one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. They were the no. 12 Most Innovative liberal arts college in the U.S., no. 9 Best Value College, no. 25 in Top Performers in Social Mobility and no. 60 in Best Undergraduate Teaching. And since 2008, COA has been a Changemaker Campus. They were recognized through a rigorous, global selection process with this leading designation aimed for a social innovation in higher education. They had also been repeatedly recognized for their college-wide commitment to ecological practices.

Maine College of Health Professions aim to provide an education that enriches lives. An education that engages the challenges and complexities of the healthcare industry. They give their all to help students discover the path to success. MCHP is the only hospital affiliated and regionally accredited college in Maine that offers a 100% online RN to BSN program. They also offer a baccalaureate degree program in nursing which is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. MCHP is empowering exceptional healthcare professionals.

Elite School of Cosmetology has three campuses, at Norwalk, Ashland and Panama. The staff of instructors as well as the school administrators at the Elite School of Cosmetology are dedicated to the education of all hair services, skin care, nail techniques and aesthetics. They share one goal, to train students in the art, marketing, science and professionalism of the workplace. Instructors work closely with each student while providing them a hands-on experience. At Elite School of Cosmetology, everyone is working together to ensure that each student has the education that they need in order to create an amazing career.

University of Maine at Farmington is a public liberal arts college located in Farmington, Maine and was established in 1864. It is the right place to go if you want to learn more than what is in the textbook because University of Maine at Farmington teaches about what is the best thing to do in life. They are Maine’s nationally recognized public liberal arts college that offers quality programs in teacher education, human services and arts & sciences. They are also known as the affordable public equivalent of a small, private liberal arts college. That is because University of Maine at Farmington is a special place where students are given individual attention and ideas are exchanged while concepts are explored in highly personalized settings. They were even ranked no. 5 in the Top Regional Public College – North according to the U.S. News & World Report 2021 edition.

Thomas College is a private business college located in Waterville, Maine and was established in 1894. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees that are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Thomas College specializes in education, technology and business. They have always been committed to their students and to their success. They show genuine care about their student’s interests, goals and needs and support them with personalized attention in a friendly campus environment. Thomas College offers different areas of study both for undergraduate and graduate students which are all focused on quality job placement and lifelong success. Their student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1 while the average size class is 18 students.

University of Maine is a public land-grant research university located in Orono, Maine and was established in 1865. It is one of the New England’s premier universities and is rising to the new challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. University of Maine’s nationally and internationally recognized research and scholarship focuses on the emerging needs of the world. They provide first-rate facilities on campus and statewide which is located near some of the best year-round recreation sites in the country. Their campus was envisioned by the legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his firm. In 2011, UMaine was announced as a tobacco-free campus.

Unity College is an ecumenical P-12 College. It is owned and administered by Brisbane Catholic Education in partnership with Caloundra Catholic and Uniting Churches. They are committed to the teachings of the catholic as well as the Uniting Churches for students and their families done through a rich worshipping Christian community and responsive pastoral care experiences. STEM in Primary Unity College is designed for a dramatic growth with the introduction of STEM. They structured it with an innovative and engaging integration of science, technology, math and engineering. Unity College claims that they are established to unite, inspire and succeed through Christ.

Beal College is a private university located in Bangor, Maine and was established in 1891. They put all of the measures in place to support the advancement of their student’s education and their career prospects. They aim to help their students become a successful graduate. One of their ways of helping their students get ahead is by offering flexible class schedules. In this way, their students can get on the fast track to the career that they want. They also implement direct entry, once the admissions application is accepted and passed the entrance exam, students will gain direct entry into the program.

University of Southern Maine is a public university established in 1878. It has campuses in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston in the U.S. state of Maine. They take much pride because more than 250 of their nursing students from across the entire University of Maine system will enter clinics and hospitals this spring to participate in Maine’s COVID-19 vaccination deployment. 100 of these students are from the School of Nursing of University of Southern Maine. This proves how prepared and willing they are to help and are grateful for the experiential learning. University of Southern Maine offers 53 majors, 82 minors and 26 graduate degrees.

University of Maine at Presque Isle is a private university established in 1903. They claim to be not just high quality and low cost but also big enough to give a wide range of majors, activities and clubs. They offer 22 bachelor’s degree programs and 45 minors + 5 certificate programs.  The professors give personal interest to their students. University of Maine at Presque Isle embraced a new way of teaching which puts their students first, their learning styles, needs and passions. UMPI was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for by The Great Colleges to Work For program.

University of Maine at Fort Kent is a public university located in Fort Kent, Maine and was established in 1878. Their mission is to nurture and engage a diversity of learners along with aspiring professionals in Maine’s rural communities and beyond. Making it possible through affordable, technologically enhanced and professionally focused educational programs. University of Maine at Fort Kent is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, having been re-accredited in March 2016. Their Applied Forest Management Program was awarded by the Society of American Foresters the accreditation through 2028. So, UMFK is the only SAF nationally accredited associate forestry program in Maine.

Landing School of Boat Building and Design is established to prepare men and women for careers in the marine industry as practical builders, designers, and systems technicians. They train students for professional work on today’s vessels and adapt to the industry’s evolving technology. They instill in their students to appreciate the traditions of the past while imagining and building the boats of tomorrow. The Wooden Boat Building program that they offer is in many ways the Renaissance program of the school. As students work with wood and composite materials to build boats and install marine electrical and propulsion systems, they will rely upon and interpret plans that are created by yacht designers. It really is a powerful stand-alone diploma program.

Spa Tech Institute – Westbrook is one of the leading career schools in Massachusetts and Maine. They provide a fun and creative environment so students will have the ability to directly affect their pay by their performance. Here students will meet like-minded individuals and teachers. Students who are interested in massage therapy and went to the massage school are like being on vacation. Aside from learning the vital core skills, students will also receive several massages a week as part of their training. For those skincare, spa treatments and makeup, the aesthetic school is the right place for you.

Pure Aesthetics is known to be Tucson’s premier school dedicated exclusively to aesthetics education. It was designed by HK Associates inc. and encourages recycling of food and beverage containers. They offer a wide variety of spa services that are performed by their students at a reasonable price. Pure Aesthetics strongly believe that what you put onto your body is as important as what you put into your body. Students practice here is grounded in anatomy and physiology. Students will be trained to develop skills using organic, small-batch and locally produced skincare products. Their graduates learned not only to recognize and avoid toxic contaminants, but more importantly, they know how to recognize ingredients and use products that are healthy to the skin.

State Career School was founded in an aim to provide quality training necessary to meet students’ career objectives in many of the largest industries in the country, from healthcare and trades to commercial driving. They offer CDL training in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In addition to that, dental assisting classes, electrical systems technology training and many more are also available here. They guarantee that they are capable to help students work toward a positive future, financial freedom and job satisfaction. They also claim that their difference to other schools is that they do more than just prepare students for a job. They want them to shine as they graduate, with that in mind, State career School provides critical career skills and manifest confidence in their student’s abilities.

Additional College Research

For additional information about MatchCollege, visit our world-class college search tools or locate the top degree programs available online.  In addition, you may find it useful to start with our award-winning list of college and degree rankings for this academic year.  Be your own advocate and invest the time needed today to find the best college program for you.