by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Top Maine Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
Our analysis looked at 19 schools in Maine to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Bowdoin College tops this year’s ranking as the best school in Maine for overall quality.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin is $82,735 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colby College. The school came in at #2 in Maine on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Colby is $80,490 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Maine list means Bates College is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 90%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bates is $69,498 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 19 schools in Maine that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine landed the #4 spot on the list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s Maine go into careers with an average salary of $59,045 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 19 schools in Maine that were part of this year’s ranking, Maine Maritime Academy landed the #5 spot on the list.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Maine Maritime make an average of $89,964 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #6, University of New England did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UNE make an average of $55,921 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #7, Unity College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Unity is $37,852 during the early years of their career.
Husson University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges in Maine list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,025 during the early years of their career..
University of Maine at Farmington did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine ranking, coming in at #9.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UMaine Farmington make an average of $44,433 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #10, University of Maine at Presque Isle did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,956 during the early years of their career..
University of Southern Maine came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Maine ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from University of Southern Maine make an average of $49,958 a year.
Southern Maine Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SMCC go into careers with an average salary of $41,661 during the early years of their career.
University of Maine at Fort Kent did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine ranking, coming in at #13.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UMFK make an average of $51,077 per year during the early years of their career.
Kennebec Valley Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges in Maine list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Kennebec Valley Community College make an average of $36,035 a year.
Central Maine Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges in Maine list.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Central Maine Technical College is $42,448 during the early years of their career.
Thomas College landed the #16 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Thomas College make an average of $44,991 a year.
University of Maine at Augusta landed the #17 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from UMA make an average of $40,342 a year.
Eastern Maine Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Maine ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Maine Community College go into careers with an average salary of $41,704 during the early years of their career.
University of Maine ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in Maine list.
The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UMaine go into careers with an average salary of $48,653 during the early years of their career.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 19 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.