University of Maine
Orono, Maine · Public · 96.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Maine in Orono, the state's flagship public research university, posts a Below Benchmark ROI score of 43/100. The headline number is an aggregate: the score reflects the school's large liberal arts, education, and natural-resources cohorts where earnings run modest. Average earnings six years after entry are $37,400, climbing to a median $48,653 by year ten, against a 0.668 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 15.4-year payback period. In-state tuition is $13,326 and the average net price is $17,510, totaling $70,040 over four years. Median federal debt of $25,000 produces a $265 monthly payment. The strong 82.1% three-year repayment rate is a genuine positive - Maine graduates take loan service seriously. UMaine's Engineering programs (Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical) are exceptional, earning B+ grades with first-year earnings of $69K-$78K. The school's challenge is that its 55% completion rate combined with a large humanities cohort drags the aggregate ROI down even though specific majors deliver real value.
How University of Maine 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 Score43/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period15.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Maine
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,326/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,756/yr |
| Average net price | $17,510/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $70,040 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,653 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 54.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 8,496 |
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: $13,326/year ($36,756/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $17,510/year, or roughly $70,040 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 $12,642/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,018/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,400) and comes to 0.67, 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 | $12,642 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,280 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,631 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,508 |
| $110,001+ | $22,018 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,642 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $13,280. Pell, Maine state aid, and UMaine institutional aid stack effectively.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $14,631 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $18,508. The middle-income progression is steeper than ideal. Middle-income Maine families capture most of the value proposition, especially for the Engineering tracks.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $22,018 per year, $88,072 over four years. That's still well below private-school territory.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Maine with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,867 | C |
| Psychology | $48,242 | D |
| Marketing | $67,863 | C+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $75,004 | C+ |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $56,169 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,064 | B |
| Teacher Education | $45,122 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $77,494 | B+ |
| Biology | $57,185 | D |
| Marine Sciences | $46,292 | D |
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 the largest cohort (151 grads) and earns a C ROI grade. First-year earnings of $45,950 climb to $66,867 by year four with $27,000 of median debt for a 0.588 ratio.
Marketing
Marketing (96 grads) earns a C+ ROI grade. First-year earnings of $50,655 climb to $67,863 by year four with $26,931 of median debt, yielding a 0.532 ratio.
Psychology
Psychology (97 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $34,123 against $26,909 of median debt produce a 0.789 ratio. Four-year earnings of $48,242 reflect graduates who continue to graduate study. For terminal-bachelor's Psychology grads in Maine, career options are limited.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (91 grads) earns a C+ ROI grade with first-year earnings of $52,876 climbing to $75,004 by year four. The 0.464 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable. Portland-area financial services firms (MEMIC, Unum, Bangor Savings) and Boston-region recruiting support placement.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (80 grads) earns a B ROI grade. First-year earnings of $69,687 climb to $85,064 by year four with a 0.387 debt-to-earnings ratio.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Maine’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 | 96.6% |
| Enrollment | 8,496 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 23.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,425 |
UMaine admits 96.6% of applicants - essentially open admission for in-state students - and currently does not publicly report SAT/ACT mid-ranges, having moved test-optional. The near-100% admit rate combined with the absence of test data signals an access mission: UMaine prioritizes serving Maine students broadly over selectivity. That access correlates with the 55% completion rate. Students arriving with stronger preparation tend to enter Engineering or Nursing tracks where outcomes are strongest.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maine (this school) | 43 | $17,510 | $48,653 |
| Marshall University | 46 | $7,502 | $46,354 |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | 42 | $13,154 | $46,482 |
| Wright State University-Main Campus | 41 | $15,415 | $49,500 |
| University of Maine at Farmington | 29 | $16,857 | $44,433 |
| University of Maine at Augusta | 15 | $10,924 | $40,342 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 23.3% and enrollment of 8,496 mark UMaine as a mid-size flagship serving primarily middle-income Maine residents. The school fits in-state students seeking an affordable bachelor's with strong Engineering, Nursing, Marine Science, or Forestry pipelines. The school's specific value propositions - Engineering, Computer Science, Forestry's tie to the Maine forest products industry, Marine Sciences with the Darling Marine Center - are real and well-developed. Students choosing humanities should run the loan math given the modest Maine wage environment.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Maine scores 43/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,510 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,653 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.4 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 it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
University of Maine: Common Questions
Is University of Maine worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Maine scores 43/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,510 a year after aid against $48,653 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of Maine 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 $17,510 a year, or roughly $70,040 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 graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,653 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,853 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?
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 15.4 years for University of Maine. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Maine graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $37,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at University of Maine?
The six-year graduation rate is 54.9%. 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.