Sources:
- American Factfinder, U.S. Census Bureau, accessed November 2015, http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml? src=CF
- Central Maine Medical Center College of Nursing and Health Professions, http://www.usnews.com/education/community-colleges/central-maine-medical- center-college-of-nursing-and-health-professions-CC01162
- Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and metropolitan area, Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed November 2015, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t01.htm
- Evening and Online Courses, Eastern Maine Community College, http://www.emcc.edu/enrollment-center/evening-online-courses/
- Finance Authority of Maine - Educators for Maine Program, Accessed April 2017, http://www.famemaine.com/maine_grants_loans/educators-for-maine- program/
- Finance Authority of Maine - Maine Dental Education Loan Program, Accessed April 2017, http://www.famemaine.com/maine_grants_loans/maine-dental-education- loan-program/
- Finance Authority of Maine - Paying for College, Accessed April 2017, http://www.famemaine.com/education/topics/paying-for-college/
- Industries, Invest in Maine, Maine International Trade Center and Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, Accessed December 2018, https://www.investinmaine.net/industries/
- Maine: Things to Do, http://visitmaine.com/places-to-go/the-kennebec-valley/augusta/
- Maine Maritime Academy, accessed April 27, 2018, https://mainemaritime.edu/
- May 2014 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Maine, Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed November 2015, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_me.htm
- MCCS Initiatives, Maine's Community Colleges, Accessed November 2018, https://www.mccs.me.edu/about-mccs/system-info/mccs-initiatives/
- Online Degree Programs, Areas of Study, Saint Joseph's College, https://www.sjcme.edu/academics/areas_of_study/online/
- Online Degree Programs, Kennebec Valley Community College, http://www.kvcc.me.edu/Pages/Off-Campus-Programs/Programs-Offered-Online
- Online Degree Programs, Southern New Hampshire University, http://www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/certificates
- Online Degree Programs, York County Community College, http://www.yccc.edu/online-learning/online-degree-programs/
- Online Learning, Central Maine Community College, http://cmconnect.cmcc.edu/ICS/Students/Course_Info_and_Registration.jnz? portlet=Course_Schedules&screen=Advanced+Course+Search&screenType=next
- Out-of-state enrollment up 14% at Maine's public universities, Renee Cordes, November 21, 2017, Maine Biz, Accessed November 2018, http://www.mainebiz.biz/article/20171121/NEWS01/171129985/out-of-state-enrollment-up-14%89-at-maine's-public-universities
- Overall enrollment in UMaine System rebounds following last year's decline, Noel K. Gallagher, October 18, 2018, Portland Press Herald, Accessed November 2018, https://www.pressherald.com/2018/10/18/enrollment-rises-for-in-state-out-of-state-students-at-umaine-system/
- Programs of Study, Washington County Community College, http://www.wccc.me.edu/academics/programs/programs-study/
- Regional Accrediting Organizations 2016-2017, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, accessed January 2017, http://www.chea.org/Directories/regional.asp
- Things to do in Portland - A Visitor's Guide, Maine Today, http://mainetoday.com/maine-travel/things-to-do-in-portland-maine-visitors-guide- tourist/
- University College, University of Maine system, http://learn.maine.edu/programs/
- University of Southern Maine, accessed April 27, 2018, https://usm.maine.edu/
- University of Maine at Presque Isle, accessed April 27, 2018, http://www.umpi.edu/
- USM Online, University of Southern Maine, https://usm.maine.edu/online/degrees-certificates#undergraduate
- Undergraduate Admissions, The University of Maine, Accessed November 2018, https://go.umaine.edu/apply/scholarships/flagship-match-first-year/
- Visit Greater Bangor Maine, http://www.visitbangormaine.com/index.php?id=339&sub_id=282
Earning a degree through one of Maine's online colleges may help you to qualify for a higher-skill (and higher-wage) job in one of Maine's key — and growing — industries, such as renewable energy, forest products, life sciences (like biotechnology), hospitality and tourism, or advanced materials and composites.
The flexibility of distance education means you can study around your current work schedule or family responsibilities while still pursuing an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree program — an important educational step that can help you begin or enhance your career in just about any field.
Let's take a look at what you can expect from online colleges in Maine.
- 16 colleges in Maine currently offer online associate degree programs, 14 offer online bachelor's degree programs, and 10 provide online master's degree programs.
- Of the 19 online colleges in Maine, 12 are public and 7 are private, including one faith-based college and one that focuses on the arts.
- Kaplan University-Augusta Campus, Kaplan University-Maine Campus, and University of Maine at Augusta offer the most online degree programs.
- The Maine Community College System consists of seven two-year institutions with six additional off-campus educational centers that offer distance education.
The state of Maine is eager to bring higher education to underserved areas of The Pine Tree State in order to increase college graduation rates. The statewide program, Bring College to ME, offers programs related to early childhood education, medical assisting, and emergency medical services.
Read on to learn about the best colleges in the state as well as the most affordable ones at the two-year and 4-year level. You can also learn about opportunities for eligible students to pay for their education through Maine-specific scholarships and student loans available through the Finance Authority of Maine or FAME.
What Makes a Good Online College?
There are many opportunities for higher education within the state of Maine. That's why rankings exist: to help students narrow down their options and choose the school that best suits their needs.
Our rankings of the best online colleges in Maine only display accredited schools in the Pine Tree State. Whether online or on-campus, students should always check to see if the schools they are considering are accredited (for specifics about why, visit our "What is College Accreditation?" page). Regional accreditation in Maine is provided through the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), while some schools might hold national accreditation through an agency such as the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) or the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). If you're not sure whether a particular accreditation agency is valid in Maine, check at the Maine State Board of Education.
To create our rankings, we judge schools based on factors that are relevant to the online college experience, and we display much of our data in order to help students make better-informed decisions. Some of our criteria include graduation and retention rates, the number of online programs offered and resources available for online students, such as the total electronic library collections in each school. For a full list of our criteria and why we chose them, please visit the "What Makes a Good Online College" section of our "About Us" page.
Best Online Colleges in Maine for 2018-19

What follows is a list of what we judge to be the 10 best online colleges in Maine, compiled using data from the National Center for Education Statistics. This list offers details about the types of online programs available at schools, benefits available to online learners and the typical cost of in-state tuition. You can also create rankings based on your own preferences by using our Top Colleges Tool. Details about the methodology used in creating this list are at the bottom of the page.
University of Maine at Augusta
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$7,808 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
73% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
29 | School Type 4-year |
The University of Maine at Augusta offers distance learning not just through online means, but also through video conferencing and interactive television. Associate, bachelor's, post-baccalaureate and certificate programs are available in these formats, in disciplines such as business administration, computer information systems, information and library science, and justice studies. Distance students can also complete minors in fields like addiction studies, music, and web applications.
The university offers a plethora of individual courses online, delivered using the learning platform Blackboard. For some classes, students may need to head to one of the university's 25 different physical locations, either to participate in interactive television or to take an exam.
University of Maine
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$10,902 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
30% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
26 | School Type 4-year |
The online offerings of the University of Maine, in Orono, allow students to "Be a Black Bear" from any place they are located, whether they are interested in pursuing online undergraduate or graduate degrees. Available programs include a Master of Science in spatial informatics; a Master of Business Administration; and a 12-credit certificate in instructional design. The university also offers hundreds of individual online courses across its winter and summer sessions.
Online students can find support and student services through the UMaine Online portal, among them the academic calendar, the bookstore, financial aid, the library and the tutoring center. UMaine advisors are available to answer questions for prospective students considering specific online courses and programs at the school.
University of Maine at Machias
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$7,680 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
64% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
5 | School Type 4-year |
Known as Maine's Coastal University, the University of Maine at Machias is the easternmost university in the nation. The school launched as a teacher's college in 1909, but has come to offer online degree programs in fields from psychology and community studies, to business and entrepreneurial studies. Both of these degree programs give students the choice to pick a concentration as well. Online certificate programs are also available, among them human resource management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
Former students who live out-of-state, but who once attended UMM can benefit from the offer of in-state tuition to finish a degree program online. This is available through UMM's "tuition special," a program called "Mainers in Exile."
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$34,610 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
54% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
23 | School Type 4-year |
Saint Joseph's College of Maine, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, has multiple online programs across various degree levels. Some of the college's programs are term-based, while others start monthly. Undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate and non-credit options are available, and several minors can be taken to customize one's studies as well. Business administration, marketing, psychology, social work and theology are all disciplines for which online learning is an option.
Online students at Saint Joseph's can find tutoring and coursework assistance through the SMARTHINKING online tutoring service, and also have online access to the bookstore, library and the Brightspace learning portal. Furthermore, the school maintains a personal online academic advisor to help students understand administrative policies, program requirements and course content.
University of Southern Maine
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$8,638 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
38% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
16 | School Type 4-year |
Formed just after World War I in Portland as a response to the lack of educational opportunities for accountants, the University of Southern Maine is a public, regional, comprehensive university offering undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in a range of subjects.
USM's fully online offerings include Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Sciences programs, along with three possible minors; master's degree programs in various subjects; and both graduate and undergraduate certificate programs in subjects such as gerontology, English as a Second Language and leadership. In some cases, students may be able to receive credits for transfers or for work experience.
Accreditation:
- The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Location:
96 Falmouth St., Portland,ME 04103
University of Maine at Fort Kent
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$7,965 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
56% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
11 | School Type 4-year |
Students interested in online education at the University of Maine at Fort Kent can pursue associate degree programs in fields like accounting, criminal justice and emergency management. The university may even be the only school in the nation to offer an online associate degree program in conservation law enforcement. A handful of online bachelor's programs are also available, such as cyber-security, computer applications-information security and rural public safety administration.
Students at UMFK have many options for earning credit, and not just through online coursework. The university's Early College Maine Aspirations program offers high school students the opportunity to complete dual credits for high school electives and for college coursework through online courses. Students also may be able to earn credit for prior learning, including for work experience, certifications or particular licensures.
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$7,885 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
44% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
4 | School Type 4-year |
This small, public institution at nearly the tip-top of the United States is part of the seven-campus University of Maine System. UMPI prides itself on its Personalized Learning approach, which allows students to work at their own pace as they meet learning goals. Among its many benefits, personalized learning accommodates different learning styles and ability levels, because students can progress at their own speed, whether the learning takes place online or in a classroom.
Along with its numerous online course offerings, fully online programs at UMPI include English, history, psychology and an elementary teacher preparation program.
Accreditation:
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.
Location:
181 Main St., Presque Isle,ME 04769
The University of New England
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$36,530 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
51% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
9 | School Type 4-year |
At the University of New England, students can complete graduate-level degree programs in disciplines like applied nutrition, education, health informatics, public health and social work. Students also can take individual science prerequisite courses online for some degree programs, in fields such as biology, chemistry, nutrition and physiology.
Course delivery at UNE is offered through the Blackboard learning system, and students can find support from the school's academic specialists and academic success center. The graduate level programs at the University are offered through the UNE Online Worldwide Learning (OWL); students can check out the UNE Online blog to find out more about what is happening at the school, particularly in online education.
Maine Maritime Academy
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$13,278 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
1% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
1 | School Type 4-year |
The Maine Maritime Academy is a public, co-ed college along the coast in Castine, Maine. With a rigorous focus on engineering, management, science and transportation programs, MMA endeavors to help students build careers for themselves as mariners, engineers, supply chain managers, logistics professionals and scientists.
Though it does not offer online undergraduate programs as of June 2018, MMA's Loeb-Sullivan School of Graduate Studies does offer two distinctive online master's degree programs: the 19-month international logistics management program, and a two-year "Master's & Commander" program in maritime management.
Accreditation:
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.
Location:
1 Pleasant St., Castine,ME 04420
Kennebec Valley Community College
Tuition & Fees/Year
Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
$3,757 | Distance Education Participation
Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
36% | Number of Programs Offered
Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
11 | School Type 2-year |
Online students at Kennebec Valley Community College can start off by taking the school's online learning quiz to determine whether the format is right for them, and then watch video tutorials to get used to Blackboard, the learning platform KVCC uses for online coursework. The school offers online programs in subjects like business administration and liberal studies, but also many more hybrid programs such as computer information systems, medical assisting and pulp & paper technology.
The MyKV online student Portal can be used to make payments, view a history of completed courses or to read messages from the school's president. Additionally, online KVCC students can use the school library to search journal databases, find films on demand and search through nursing references.
Affordable Online Colleges in Maine for 2018-19
If you're looking for the most affordable colleges offering distance education from Maine, you've come to the right place. Here we list some of the most affordable institutions in the state, using their in-state tuition as reported to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
On the other hand, if you'd like to see online colleges of Maine ranked by different criteria, our Top Colleges Tool is available to do just that.
- School Type - 2 Years
- School Type - 4 Years
COLLEGE NAME TUITION & FEES/YEAR Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.DISTANCE EDUCATION PARTICIPATION Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.NUMBER OF ONLINE PROGRAMS OFFERED Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics..SCHOOL WEBSITE York County Community College $3,570 45% 8 yccc.edu Central Maine Community College $3,660 32% 3 cmcc.edu Southern Maine Community College $3,710 30% 3 smccme.edu Kennebec Valley Community College $3,757 36% 11 kvcc.me.edu COLLEGE NAME TUITION & FEES/YEAR Tuition and fees per year refers to the average in-state tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduates and, if applicable, graduate students as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.DISTANCE EDUCATION PARTICIPATION Distance Education Participation refers to the percentage of students taking either some or all of the courses via distance education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.NUMBER OF ONLINE PROGRAMS OFFERED Number of programs offered refers to the count of degrees and certificates offered via distance education at any level as of 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics..SCHOOL WEBSITE University of Maine at Machias $7,680 64% 5 machias.edu University of Maine at Augusta $7,808 73% 29 uma.edu University of Maine at Presque Isle $7,885 44% 4 umpi.edu University of Maine at Fort Kent $7,965 56% 11 umfk.maine.edu University of Southern Maine $8,638 38% 16 usm.maine.edu
Financial Aid Resources in Maine
What Grants and Scholarships are Available in Maine?
Student Loans in Maine
The state of Maine offers several student loans to its residents, each of which is provided by the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). These loans are available primarily for students pursuing degrees in the fields of education and healthcare. You should always look into scholarships and grants before pursuing state, federal, or private loans since scholarship and grant money is "gift aid" that does not need to be repaid. Should you decide to seek federal financial assistance for your degree, keep in mind that you will need to fill out the FAFSA with details about your family's financial situation in order to qualify.
- Application deadline: May 1, 2017
- Award amount: Up to $3,000 per year ($12,000 total) for undergraduates
- Application deadline: May 30, 2017
- Award amount: Up to $20,000 per year ($80,000 total)
Find out more about the process of applying for student loans and what types of loans are available in the Ultimate Guide to Student Loans.
Additional Resources for Financial Aid in Maine
- FAME - Paying for College provides information for Maine students on all of the different ways they can obtain financial assistance for their education.
Costs for Out-of-State Students in Maine
Maine is a top choice for many students, and you don't even have to live in the state to be eligible for reduced tuition rates. Colleges and universities offer a number of programs that make their education affordable to out-of-state students. That may be why institutions within the University of Maine System saw a 13.9 percent increase in out-of-state students in 2017 and 4.3 percent increase in 2018.
At The University of Maine, the Flagship Match Scholarship Program allows qualified first-year students to pay the resident rate for their home state's flagship institution. Those who don't qualify for the program could receive other scholarships to offset the cost of out-of-state tuition.
There is also a Tuition Break program open to residents of six New England states. If your chosen major isn't offered in your home state, Tuition Break can reduce your tuition costs. On average, out-of-state students receive $8,033 savings off non-resident tuition.
Each school will have its own financial aid programs so be sure to talk to an adviser to understand all your options. You can also visit the following links that have more information for non-residents who want to go to school in Maine.
Featured Cities In Maine
Data for the charts on these featured metropolitan areas is sourced from the 2015 American Community Survey (census.gov).
Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area
Total Population
523,874
Median salary for high school grads
$29,106
Median salary with a bachelor's degree
$46,117
% of the population enrolled in college or grad school
27.9%
Median rent
$948
There are a couple of must-sees when visiting Portland, Maine. One is the Old Port district of downtown Portland, where cobblestone streets are lined with great restaurants, bars and brew pubs. The second attraction is the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine, which has created a vibrant outlet shopping experience for the entire town.
Bangor, ME Metro Area
Total Population
152,978
Median salary for high school grads
$26,274
Median salary with a bachelor's degree
$40,268
% of the population enrolled in college or grad school
40.9%
Median rent
$750
Bangor, in addition to being one of the favorite haunts of author Stephen King, is just a short drive from the magnificent Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor on the Maine Coast. The University of Maine is just a short drive away in Orono.
Using the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), we generated a list of colleges and universities that met the following criteria:
- Level of institution is either "Four or more years" or "At least 2 but less than 4 years"
- Data is reported for all 11 ranking variables listed in the Methodology section
- At least 1% of students are taking at least some of the classes via distance education
- "Number of programs offered via distance education" was an integer greater than 0
We ranked the resulting 1,813 colleges on 11 criteria, using 2016-17 data from IPEDS:
- Number of programs offered via distance education
- Ratio of students participating fully or partially in DE to Total Enrollment
- Average in-state tuition for undergraduates
- Total electronic library collections, including digital books, databases, and media
- Graduation rate
- Retention rate
- The availability of any tuition plans (Payment, Guaranteed, Other)
- Services (Academic/Career, Placement for Completers)
- Credit offerings (Dual, Life, AP, Military)
- Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal, state, local, institutional or other sources of grant aid
- Average amount of federal, state, local, institutional, or other sources of grant aid awarded to undergraduate students
All schools were scored on a 10-point scale for each of the points listed above. Individual data point scores were then multiplied by their respective weights, and the scores were added together, for a maximum possible score of 10 points.
Methodology Sources
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2016-17, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/