University of Maine at Fort Kent
Fort Kent, Maine · Public · 97.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a small public liberal arts campus in northern Maine's St. John Valley, enrolling about 599 students. In-state tuition is $9,420, and the average net price is an exceptionally low $7,482. The institution earns a Fair Value ROI score of 64, anchored by a remarkable 53.7% earnings premium, and median ten-year earnings of $51,077. Registered Nursing is UMFK's only reported program with complete data and it drives much of the earnings story. The St. John Valley region is bilingual (English-French) and rural, offering a unique cultural environment but limited on-campus activity and regional career opportunities beyond health care and education.
How University of Maine at Fort Kent scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- 6-year graduation rate39.4% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
University of Maine at Fort Kent
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,420/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,880/yr |
| Average net price | $7,482/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $29,928 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,077 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,160 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $214 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 599 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,420/year ($14,880/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $7,482/year, or roughly $29,928 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $8,163/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $11,661/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,160, which works out to about $214 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,000) and comes to 0.56, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $8,163 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,130 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $4,122 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,020 |
| $110,001+ | $11,661 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $8,163 net - just $681 above the institutional average. The $30,001 - $48,000 bracket actually pays less at $6,130, and the middle bracket ($48,001 - $75,000) pays just $4,122 - UMFK's most advantageous pricing tier. Low-income students interested in nursing have a compelling case: a $71,551 year-one nursing salary against $8,163 in annual cost is transformative ROI.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families at the $48,001 - $75,000 level pay only $4,122 - strikingly low.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Above $75,000, families pay $10,020. Higher-income students may be trading campus experience and program breadth for extreme cost efficiency. Those who plan on nursing as a career should find the trade-off worthwhile; others may prefer larger UMaine campuses.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at University of Maine at Fort Kent with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $82,677 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is UMFK's defining program, graduating 158 students - by far the largest cohort. Year-one earnings reach $71,551 and $82,677 at four years. A B grade and 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio against $30,447 in median debt reflect strong but not exceptional value. Given the $7,482 average net price, nursing students at UMFK access a high-wage health career at a low price point.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 79.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Maine at Fort Kent’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 97.9% |
| Enrollment | 599 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,219 |
UMFK accepts nearly all applicants with no reported SAT/ACT range, consistent with open-access admissions. Financial aid is strong - average net price is $7,482. Students should verify nursing program capacity and clinical placement requirements before committing, as this single program drives most of UMFK's documented outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UMFK's distinctive value lies almost entirely in nursing access at minimal cost.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maine at Fort Kent (this school) | 64 | $7,482 | $51,077 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 63 | $19,454 | $63,435 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 63 | $19,659 | $63,435 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York | 62 | $19,047 | $63,435 |
| University of Maine at Farmington | 29 | $16,857 | $44,433 |
| University of Maine at Augusta | 15 | $10,924 | $40,342 |
Who Thrives Here
UMFK is best matched to students who want nursing training at the lowest possible cost in a supportive, tight-knit rural community. The 97.9% admissions rate means essentially anyone can enroll. Students not in nursing face limited program breadth and a challenging job market in rural northern Maine.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Maine at Fort Kent is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $7,482 a year after aid ($29,928 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $51,077 a decade out, the cost takes about 10.6 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 39.4% graduation rate.
Median debt of $20,160 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Maine at Fort Kent: Common Questions
Is University of Maine at Fort Kent worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Maine at Fort Kent is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 64/100 on our ROI scale. At $7,482 a year after aid ($29,928 over four years) against $51,077 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 10.6 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Maine at Fort Kent cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $7,482 a year, or roughly $29,928 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Maine at Fort Kent graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $51,077 ten years after enrolling, roughly $9,277 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Maine at Fort Kent?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 10.6 years for University of Maine at Fort Kent. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Maine at Fort Kent graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,160, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Maine at Fort Kent?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.