State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Maine

Name: Maine College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

Private campuses outnumber public ones on this Maine list (17 vs 14); Kennebec Valley Community College still leads on average net price at $3,910.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$3,910
Cheapest net price: $17,510
Maine median: 31
Schools ranked

Kennebec Valley Community College has the lowest average net price in Maine among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Kennebec Valley Community College posts the lowest average net price in Maine at $3,910 among 31 ranked schools, with the state median 2% above the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $3,910
Maine median: $17,510
Schools ranked: 31
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Kennebec Valley Community College has the lowest average net price in Maine at $3,910/year, and the state's median net price is 2% above the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$3,910
cheapest ranked net price: $17,510
Maine median net price: 14 public / 17 private
schools in this ranking: $14,503
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $14,503 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Bowdoin College, where in-state published tuition of $67,832 falls to an average net price of $14,398 after aid, a $53,434 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Maine schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (17 vs 14). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $27,555. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 31 Scorecard-reporting Maine schools:

The bar to make Maine's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 31 Scorecard-reporting schools

$27,555 more affordable than 19% of 31 Maine colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more Maine colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Maine's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield, ME · Public

Avg net price: $3,910
Net price (<$30K income): $3,361
Median debt: $13,255
Median earnings, 6yr: $44,404
Enrollment: 2,489

Washington County Community College Calais, ME · Public

Avg net price: $5,149
Net price (<$30K income): $4,232
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 805

York County Community College Wells, ME · Public

Avg net price: $5,875
Net price (<$30K income): $3,948
Median debt: $8,861
Median earnings, 6yr: $40,535
Enrollment: 1,875

Central Maine Community College Auburn, ME · Public

Avg net price: $6,975
Net price (<$30K income): $5,470
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,977
Enrollment: 4,754

University of Maine at Presque Isle Presque Isle, ME · Public

Avg net price: $7,035
Net price (<$30K income): $5,934
Median debt: $16,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,793
Enrollment: 2,873

Northern Maine Community College Presque Isle, ME · Public

Avg net price: $7,181
Net price (<$30K income): $6,750
Median debt: $10,825
Median earnings, 6yr: $34,802
Enrollment: 843

University of Maine at Fort Kent Fort Kent, ME · Public

Avg net price: $7,482
Net price (<$30K income): $8,163
Median debt: $20,160
Median earnings, 6yr: $61,217
Enrollment: 1,562

Eastern Maine Community College Bangor, ME · Public

Avg net price: $8,928
Net price (<$30K income): $7,818
Median debt: $11,293
Median earnings, 6yr: $40,444
Enrollment: 2,719

University of Maine at Augusta Augusta, ME · Public

Avg net price: $10,924
Net price (<$30K income): $9,421
Median debt: $22,734
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,467
Enrollment: 4,412

Southern Maine Community College South Portland, ME · Public

Avg net price: $11,086
Net price (<$30K income): $9,654
Median debt: $10,331
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,780
Enrollment: 7,900

University of Southern Maine Portland, ME · Public

Avg net price: $13,596
Net price (<$30K income): $9,999
Median debt: $19,060
Median earnings, 6yr: $47,107
Enrollment: 7,604

Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $14,398
Net price (<$30K income): $3,145
Median debt: $18,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $61,692
Enrollment: 1,881

Empire Beauty School-Maine Portland, ME · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $16,191
Net price (<$30K income): $15,026
Median debt: $13,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $19,338
Enrollment: 117

University of Maine at Farmington Farmington, ME · Public

Avg net price: $16,857
Net price (<$30K income): $13,301
Median debt: $24,499
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,513
Enrollment: 2,100

Colby College Waterville, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $17,180
Net price (<$30K income): $4,049
Median debt: $19,157
Median earnings, 6yr: $60,052
Enrollment: 2,412

University of Maine Orono, ME · Public

Avg net price: $17,510
Net price (<$30K income): $12,642
Median debt: $25,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,124
Enrollment: 12,029

Capilo School of Hair Design Augusta, ME · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $18,711
Net price (<$30K income): $17,452
Median debt: $7,700
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 156

Thomas College Waterville, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $18,885
Net price (<$30K income): $12,655
Median debt: $24,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $40,495
Enrollment: 1,635

Unity Environmental University New Gloucester, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $19,104
Net price (<$30K income): $18,370
Median debt: $25,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,698
Enrollment: 7,165

Husson University Bangor, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $21,005
Net price (<$30K income): $16,606
Median debt: $27,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,554
Enrollment: 3,367

Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME · Public

Avg net price: $23,414
Net price (<$30K income): $9,511
Median debt: $27,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $93,944
Enrollment: 971

College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $25,184
Net price (<$30K income): $20,415
Median debt: $25,050
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 358

Maine College of Health Professions Lewiston, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $26,312
Net price (<$30K income): $26,054
Median debt: $15,250
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 239

Northeast Technical Institute Scarborough, ME · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $26,546
Net price (<$30K income): $24,569
Median debt: $8,708
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,873
Enrollment: 74

Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish, ME · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $27,555
Net price (<$30K income): $20,728
Median debt: $27,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $52,884
Enrollment: 1,454

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield, ME · Public	$3,910	$3,361	$13,255	$44,404	2,489
2	Washington County Community College Calais, ME · Public	$5,149	$4,232	-	-	805
3	York County Community College Wells, ME · Public	$5,875	$3,948	$8,861	$40,535	1,875
4	Central Maine Community College Auburn, ME · Public	$6,975	$5,470	$12,000	$31,977	4,754
5	University of Maine at Presque Isle Presque Isle, ME · Public	$7,035	$5,934	$16,000	$33,793	2,873
6	Northern Maine Community College Presque Isle, ME · Public	$7,181	$6,750	$10,825	$34,802	843
7	University of Maine at Fort Kent Fort Kent, ME · Public	$7,482	$8,163	$20,160	$61,217	1,562
8	Eastern Maine Community College Bangor, ME · Public	$8,928	$7,818	$11,293	$40,444	2,719
9	University of Maine at Augusta Augusta, ME · Public	$10,924	$9,421	$22,734	$36,467	4,412
10	Southern Maine Community College South Portland, ME · Public	$11,086	$9,654	$10,331	$36,780	7,900
11	University of Southern Maine Portland, ME · Public	$13,596	$9,999	$19,060	$47,107	7,604
12	Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME · Private nonprofit	$14,398	$3,145	$18,500	$61,692	1,881
13	Empire Beauty School-Maine Portland, ME · Private for-profit	$16,191	$15,026	$13,000	$19,338	117
14	University of Maine at Farmington Farmington, ME · Public	$16,857	$13,301	$24,499	$31,513	2,100
15	Colby College Waterville, ME · Private nonprofit	$17,180	$4,049	$19,157	$60,052	2,412
16	University of Maine Orono, ME · Public	$17,510	$12,642	$25,000	$43,124	12,029
17	Capilo School of Hair Design Augusta, ME · Private for-profit	$18,711	$17,452	$7,700	-	156
18	Thomas College Waterville, ME · Private nonprofit	$18,885	$12,655	$24,250	$40,495	1,635
19	Unity Environmental University New Gloucester, ME · Private nonprofit	$19,104	$18,370	$25,000	$31,698	7,165
20	Husson University Bangor, ME · Private nonprofit	$21,005	$16,606	$27,000	$41,554	3,367
21	Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME · Public	$23,414	$9,511	$27,000	$93,944	971
22	College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, ME · Private nonprofit	$25,184	$20,415	$25,050	-	358
23	Maine College of Health Professions Lewiston, ME · Private nonprofit	$26,312	$26,054	$15,250	-	239
24	Northeast Technical Institute Scarborough, ME · Private for-profit	$26,546	$24,569	$8,708	$37,873	74
25	Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish, ME · Private nonprofit	$27,555	$20,728	$27,000	$52,884	1,454

Showing the 25 cheapest of 31 Scorecard-reporting Maine schools. The remaining 6 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

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What this means for you

Use Maine's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Kennebec Valley Community College reports the lowest average net price in Maine, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Kennebec Valley Community
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Maine safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Maine. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

Maine's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

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