2023 best colleges in Maine

Home to some of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges, Maine provides a welcoming retreat for students seeking quality education in a quiet setting. Besides a beautiful campus, the University of Maine is known for its thriving student nightlife scene and the only Division I sports teams in the state. For students with special interests, Maine is home to an array of specialized schools. Among these is The Landing School, the oldest operating school in boat building and design and the first and only school globally to offer accredited programs in the field.

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EarningsPlus
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#1 in Maine | #21 in Political Science nationally

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, Maine

Economic score: 1.92

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $22,840

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 2.6 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $60,473

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $16,539

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 9%
Graduation rate: 95%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#2 in Maine | #25 in Political Science nationally

Colby College

Waterville, Maine

Economic score: 2.04

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $19,597

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 2.6 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $55,529

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $11,759

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 9%
Graduation rate: 89%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#3 in Maine | #79 in Political Science nationally

Bates College

Lewiston, Maine

Economic score: 3.05

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $26,392

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 3.7 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $53,638

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $9,655

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 17%
Graduation rate: 91%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#4 in Maine | #177 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 4.37

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $12,055

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 3.5 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $39,369

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $9,139

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 87%
Graduation rate: 52%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#5 in Maine | #369 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 10.01

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $16,033

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 9 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $32,140

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $3,558

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 96%
Graduation rate: 56%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

How long does it take me to repay a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government in Maine?

Years

3.9 years

The cost of the average bachelor's degree in poli sci/government in Maine is covered by the new earnings of graduates in 3.9 years.

How much do graduates with bachelor's degree in poli sci/government earn in Maine?

Salary

$49,913

The median bachelor's degree in poli sci/government graduate earns $49,913 3 years after graduating.

How much does a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government cost in Maine?

Net cost

$20,817

The average annual cost of a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government is $20,817. This is the net cost and considers only students that have received Title IV funds.