Rankings / By State
Best Online Colleges in Maine
- 18
- Schools
- $44,596
- Avg. Earnings
- 44%
- Avg. Graduation
- $13,731
- Avg. Net Price
- $18,972
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Median graduate earnings across these 18 schools run from $34,407 to $59,045, a 1.7× gap. The category label alone says little about payoff.
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Kennebec Valley Community College delivers the most for the money: roughly $36,035 in median earnings against $3,910 a year in net price, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio on the list.
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Kennebec Valley Community College is the lowest-cost school here at $3,910 a year in net price.
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Saint Joseph's College of Maine graduates 67% of its students, versus a 44% average across the list. Completion, more than selectivity, signals whether a degree actually gets finished.
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York County Community College carries the healthiest debt load, with graduates owing just 0.20× their annual earnings.
Surprising Comparisons
- #1 Husson University ($45,025 earnings) outranks the list's highest earner, Saint Joseph's College of Maine ($59,045), because it does more on mobility and cost.
- Kennebec Valley Community College costs $3,910 a year and University of New England costs $38,107. Yet their graduates earn $36,035 and $55,921, nowhere near the $34,197 price gap.
- On value, Kennebec Valley Community College beats Saint Joseph's College of Maine: comparable career payoff at a fraction of the net price.
The Takeaway
The schools that win this ranking are not the priciest or the most selective. They turn students into earners without burying them in debt, which is exactly what our outcomes-first methodology is built to surface.
What This Means for Students
If you are choosing from this list, start with Kennebec Valley Community College and Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Pull each school's net price for your income band, weigh projected earnings against the debt you would take on, and let payoff rather than prestige drive your shortlist.
Why this ranking matters
These schools are ranked on outcomes that compound: graduate earnings, upward mobility, debt, and value, all drawn from federal tax records and Scorecard data rather than reputation surveys. The list rewards results over prestige, led by institutions whose graduates earn a median of about $44K ten years after enrollment.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-20
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Husson University #1 overall | $45,025 ▲ +1% vs avg | $21,005 | 58% | 64 |
| 2 Thomas College #2 overall | $44,991 ▲ +1% vs avg | $18,885 | 53% | 63 |
| 3 University of New England #3 overall | $55,921 ▲ +25% vs avg | $38,107 | 65% | 61 |
| $49,958 ▲ +12% vs avg | $13,596 | 43% | 59 | |
| $51,077 ▲ +15% vs avg | $7,482 | 40% | 57 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Online Colleges in Maine
This analysis ranks 18 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $44,596 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 44% and an average net price of $13,731.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Kennebec Valley Community College — Net Price: $3,910 | Graduation Rate: 44%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Saint Joseph's College of Maine — 67% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Saint Joseph's College of Maine — Median alumni earnings: $59,045
CollegeRanker Primary Research
Private nonprofit colleges cost 110% more in net price than publics, while their graduates earn 21% more.
Access & Flexibility Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about online education and the working-adult learner?
$43,891
Median earnings (10yr)
44%
Median graduation rate
$11,005
Median net price
2.0%
Avg. mobility rate
Online programs are where higher education meets the working adult: students balancing jobs, families, and a degree, who need flexibility more than a quad. The category has matured from afterthought to mainstream. The open question is no longer whether online education works but which programs deliver completion and earnings for non-traditional students.
Across the 18 schools on this list, graduates earn a median of $43,891 ten years after they first enrolled. The median graduation rate is 44%. Net price, what students pay after grants, runs a median of $11,005 a year, with about $20,160 in median federal debt at graduation. An average of 31% of students receive Pell grants, and the typical school moves low-income students into the top income quintile at a rate of 2.0%.
What we’re seeing: the strongest online programs pair flexibility with real support and completion, not open enrollment alone. Median earnings of $43,891 and a $11,005 net price show that access and outcomes do not have to be a trade-off.
The podium
Build your ranking
Drag a pillar — schools re-rank live.
Tip: Check the box on any 2–4 schools below to compare them side by side.
Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Husson University lands at #1 with a 64/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (46/100). Graduates earn a median $45,025 a decade after enrolling, 1% above this list's average, and net price runs $21,005 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Thomas College lands at #2 with a 63/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $44,991 a decade after enrolling, 1% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,885 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
University of New England lands at #3 with a 61/100 composite, led by social mobility (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (32/100). Graduates earn a median $55,921 a decade after enrolling, 25% above this list's average, and net price runs $38,107 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
University of Southern Maine lands at #4 with a 59/100 composite, led by value per dollar (68/100) and pulled down by academic quality (53/100). Graduates earn a median $49,958 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $13,596 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
University of Maine at Fort Kent lands at #5 with a 57/100 composite, led by value per dollar (76/100) and pulled down by social mobility (50/100). Graduates earn a median $51,077 a decade after enrolling, 15% above this list's average, and net price runs $7,482 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
University of Maine lands at #6 with a 56/100 composite, led by academic quality (64/100) and pulled down by social mobility (56/100). Graduates earn a median $48,653 a decade after enrolling, 9% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,510 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
Saint Joseph's College of Maine lands at #7 with a 56/100 composite, led by academic quality (76/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (42/100). Graduates earn a median $59,045 a decade after enrolling, 32% above this list's average, and net price runs $27,555 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
University of Maine at Farmington lands at #8 with a 56/100 composite, led by social mobility (59/100) and pulled down by academic quality (59/100). Graduates earn a median $44,433 a decade after enrolling, 0% above this list's average, and net price runs $16,857 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Northern Maine Community College lands at #9 with a 56/100 composite, led by value per dollar (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (49/100). Graduates earn a median $43,348 a decade after enrolling, 3% below this list's average, and net price runs $7,181 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
York County Community College lands at #10 with a 55/100 composite, led by value per dollar (88/100) and pulled down by academic quality (35/100). Graduates earn a median $44,873 a decade after enrolling, 1% above this list's average, and net price runs $5,875 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Eastern Maine Community College lands at #11 with a 55/100 composite, led by value per dollar (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (42/100). Graduates earn a median $41,704 a decade after enrolling, 6% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,928 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Presque Isle, ME · 100% accepted · $7,035 net
Why it ranks #12
University of Maine at Presque Isle lands at #12 with a 54/100 composite, led by value per dollar (78/100) and pulled down by social mobility (47/100). Graduates earn a median $40,956 a decade after enrolling, 8% below this list's average, and net price runs $7,035 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Kennebec Valley Community College lands at #13 with a 54/100 composite, led by value per dollar (85/100) and pulled down by academic quality (46/100). Graduates earn a median $36,035 a decade after enrolling, 19% below this list's average, and net price runs $3,910 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Central Maine Community College lands at #14 with a 54/100 composite, led by value per dollar (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (40/100). Graduates earn a median $42,448 a decade after enrolling, 5% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,975 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
Southern Maine Community College lands at #15 with a 53/100 composite, led by value per dollar (78/100) and pulled down by academic quality (39/100). Graduates earn a median $41,661 a decade after enrolling, 7% below this list's average, and net price runs $11,086 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #16
University of Maine at Augusta lands at #16 with a 51/100 composite, led by value per dollar (69/100) and pulled down by academic quality (42/100). Graduates earn a median $40,342 a decade after enrolling, 10% below this list's average, and net price runs $10,924 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #17
Washington County Community College lands at #17 with a 46/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by social mobility (40/100). Graduates earn a median $34,407 a decade after enrolling, 23% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,149 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #18
Unity Environmental University lands at #18 with a 42/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (55/100) and pulled down by academic quality (36/100). Graduates earn a median $37,852 a decade after enrolling, 15% below this list's average, and net price runs $19,104 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 18 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs are
This ranking scores 18 institutions on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt burdens, and social mobility data from Opportunity Insights. Every data point comes from federal sources. No surveys, no opinions.
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in our algorithm. We use Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card — built on 30 million anonymized tax records — to measure whether a college changes a family's economic trajectory across generations. Schools that take low-income students and launch them into higher earnings rank higher than schools that admit wealthy students and take credit for their success.
The transparency penalty matters here. Schools that don't report their data get scored lower than schools that do. If an institution won't show you its numbers, we think you should know that before you write them a tuition check.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 3 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 2%. Thomas College leads the group at 3%, with Husson University (2%) and University of New England (1.1%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 10.6% of students start in the bottom income quintile. Husson University leads at 13.4%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 19.3% across this list. Thomas College posts the highest success rate at 22.8%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Online Colleges in Maine: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Online Colleges in Maine ranking? +
Husson University in Bangor, ME ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Online Colleges in Maine ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $45,025 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 58% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Saint Joseph's College of Maine posts the highest median earnings on this list: $59,045 ten years after enrollment, well above the $44,596 average across the 18 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Kennebec Valley Community College leads: graduates earn a median $36,035 against net price of about $3,910 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Saint Joseph's College of Maine has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 67%, compared with a 44% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $13,731 a year across the 18 ranked schools with cost data. Kennebec Valley Community College is among the most affordable at roughly $3,910. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Online Colleges in Maine ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 18 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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