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Maine Maritime Academy logo
Public Castine, ME · Rural · New England · 100% data
A+ Earnings A Social Mobility B+ Selectivity
Graduation Rate
60% C
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$89,964 A+
Top 2% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$23,414 D+
37% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
54% B+
Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Earnings +121% vs avg
Graduation +5% vs avg
Net Price 37% vs avg
Mobility Top 6%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 18.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.4 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Business Colleges in Maine.

18.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $18.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,632,418.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 121% more than the national college median.

  3. Social mobility rate of 3.46% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $18.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Maine Maritime Academy Matters

Maine Maritime Academy is a public college in Castine, ME and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 2% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
942
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Engineering, Transportation, Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose Maine Maritime Academy

Elite STEM ecosystem
Engineering, computing, and the sciences dominate its programs
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 2% of colleges
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 33% overall
A+
Earnings
$89,964 median
B
Value
3.8× net price
D+
Affordability
$23,414/yr net
C
Graduation
60% graduate
A
Social Mobility
3.5% climb Q1→Q5
B+
Selectivity
54% admit rate
D
Diversity
0.34 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of 942 students, Maine Maritime Academy is a great fit for those interested in practical, hands-on learning in fields like Engineering, Transportation, and Business. The focus here is on developing skills that are directly applicable in the workforce, which is essential for students who thrive in a structured, career-oriented environment. The programs in Biology and Physical Sciences also prepare students for opportunities in health and research sectors.

After graduation, students can expect solid earning potential, with a 10-year earnings average of $89,964. This is a significant figure that highlights the value of the education received here. The affordability factor is also noteworthy; the net price after aid is $23,414, making it a reasonable choice for many. While the graduation rate sits at 60%, the focus on specific career paths often leads graduates to stable jobs in their fields.

Financially, students face a median debt of $27,000, which is manageable when considering the earning potential after graduation. Those who tend to thrive at Maine Maritime Academy are typically goal-oriented and ready to engage in a rigorous academic environment. The presence of a significant number of Pell Grant recipients—25%—indicates that the school is accessible to a diverse range of students, further enhancing its community.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Maine Maritime Academy is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Maine Maritime Academy? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Castine, Maine, Maine Maritime Academy offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 54% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,166. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.

Acceptance Rate
54%
Retention Rate
82%
SAT Average
1166
SAT Range
1095–1260
ACT Range
21–26
Full-Time Faculty
77%
Student–Faculty Ratio
11:1
Diversity Index
0.34
First-Gen Students
21%
Applicants
1,164
Admitted
671

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Maine Maritime Academy? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Maine Maritime Academy is $31,102, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $23,414. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,511 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$15,158
Out-of-State
$31,102
Avg Net Price
$23,414
Median Debt
$27,000
Pell Grant Rate
25%
Federal Loan Rate
58%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$9,511
Family Income $30K–$48K
$21,690
Family Income $48K–$75K
$21,162
Family Income $110K+
$25,021

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Maine Maritime Academy — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Maine Maritime Academy Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Maine Maritime Academy earn a median of $89,964, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$93,944
8 Years
$84,472
10 Years
$89,964
Debt-to-Earnings
0.3x
Earning > $25K
83%

Earnings Trajectory

$93,944 6yr $84,472 8yr $89,964 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (135)
58%
100% (135)
58%
100% (135)
58%
100% (135)
58%

How Maine Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation60%Earnings 10yr$90KNet Price$23KRetention82%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate25%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$10K$0-30K$22K$30-48K$21K$48-75K$25K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%7.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%45.6%MOBILITY3.46%

College ROI Calculator

Is Maine Maritime Academy Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Maine Maritime Academy delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $23,414/year ($93,656 total). Graduates earn $89,964 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,726,074 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,632,418 (18.4× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 60% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$93,656
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,726,074
Net Return
$1,632,418
ROI Multiple
18.4×
Cost Per Year
$23,414
Median Debt
$27,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
60%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Maine Maritime Academy Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Maine Maritime Academy is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.46%, among the highest in the country. About 7.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 45.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $85,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
3.46%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
45.6%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
7.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$115,893
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Maine Maritime Academy? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Maine Maritime Academy. Its economic connectedness score is 1.53, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.53
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.0%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$358,492
Investment Income
$-3,896,129

Top Programs

The fields Maine Maritime Academy awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Maine Maritime Academy? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Castine, Maine, Maine Maritime Academy offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 54% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,166. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Maine Maritime Academy? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Maine Maritime Academy is $31,102, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $23,414. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,511 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

Is Maine Maritime Academy Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Maine Maritime Academy earn a median of $89,964, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Maine Maritime Academy Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Maine Maritime Academy is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.46%, among the highest in the country. About 7.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 45.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $85,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Maine Maritime Academy? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Maine Maritime Academy. Its economic connectedness score is 1.53, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Maine Maritime Academy.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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