University of Maine at Presque Isle
Presque Isle, Maine · Public · 99.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Maine at Presque Isle scores 39 (Below Benchmark), with its defining problem being a 28.2-year payback period. Average 6-year earnings are $27,600, reflecting the depressed labor market of Aroostook County in far northern Maine. Net price is a low $7,035 per year ($28,140 total at four years), but even this modest cost against $27,600 earnings produces a nearly three-decade payback. Only two programs have sufficient earnings data: Business Administration (C+ grade) and Liberal Arts (C grade). The repayment rate of 67.3% and completion rate of 51.6% add to a challenging profile.
How University of Maine at Presque Isle 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.
- ROI Score39/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period28.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,402/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,862/yr |
| Average net price | $7,035/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $28,140 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,956 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $170 |
| Estimated payback period | 28.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,913 |
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: $9,402/year ($14,862/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $7,035/year, or roughly $28,140 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 $5,934/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $9,758/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,000, which works out to about $170 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($27,600) and comes to 0.58, 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 | $5,934 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,492 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,564 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,229 |
| $110,001+ | $9,758 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $5,934 net price per year - about $23,736 over four years. Even at this modest cost, average 6-year earnings of $27,600 produce a very long payback. The value of a UMPI degree for low-income students depends heavily on whether they stay in the region (limited upside) or relocate after graduation.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $6,564 per year. Families in the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pay $10,229. These are low absolute costs, but the earnings constraint of northern Maine's labor market limits returns regardless of family income.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $9,758 per year. At roughly $39,000 over four years against $27,600 average 6-year earnings, even the full-pay scenario at UMPI is financially marginal.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at University of Maine at Presque Isle with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $38,395 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $50,411 | C+ |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is UMPI's most reported program at 107 graduates, earning $43,902 year-one and $50,411 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.504 (ROI grade C+). The year-one figure is notably higher than the institutional average of $27,600 - suggesting business graduates leave the region or enter regional commerce roles that pay above the local average. At a $7,035 net price, a C+ grade is adequate.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts (123 graduates) earns $38,395 year-one with no year-four figure reported, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.645 (ROI grade C). The earnings and debt ratio are better than the institutional average - likely because graduates who stay in Aroostook County move into government, education, and social services, which provide stable if modest wages. At low net price, the C grade is sustainable.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 54.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 67.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 55.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Maine at Presque Isle’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 | 99.9% |
| Enrollment | 1,913 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,782 |
UMPI's near-universal acceptance rate reflects its access mission in a sparsely populated region. There is no selectivity filter. The institutional challenge is not academic preparation - it is the structural mismatch between credential production and regional employment opportunity.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maine at Presque Isle (this school) | 39 | $7,035 | $40,956 |
| Eastern Oregon University | 43 | $17,148 | $50,112 |
| New Mexico Highlands University | 39 | $14,838 | $45,937 |
| Western Colorado University | 38 | $16,425 | $46,833 |
| University of Maine at Farmington | 29 | $16,857 | $44,433 |
| University of Maine at Augusta | 15 | $10,924 | $40,342 |
Who Thrives Here
UMPI admits 99.9% of applicants - functionally open enrollment - with no test score data. At 1,913 students in a rural, economically distressed region, it serves primarily Aroostook County residents. The institution's mission is access in a geographically isolated community, not competitive credentialing. Students considering UMPI should understand that regional labor market constraints will shape outcomes regardless of credential quality.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Maine at Presque Isle scores 39/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $7,035 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,956 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 28.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 51.5% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 67.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, 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 Presque Isle: Common Questions
Is University of Maine at Presque Isle worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Maine at Presque Isle scores 39/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $7,035 a year after aid against $40,956 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 28.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of Maine at Presque Isle 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 $7,035 a year, or roughly $28,140 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 Presque Isle graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,956 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off University of Maine at Presque Isle?
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 28.2 years for University of Maine at Presque Isle. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Maine at Presque Isle graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,000, against average earnings of $27,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. 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 Presque Isle?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.5%. 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.
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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.