2024 Best Colleges for Middle-Class Students in Maine

• Brunswick, ME•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  721 reviews

Freshman: Choosing Bowdoin was the best decision of my life! They truly value the liberal arts model AND have great STEM programs. care deeply about the student experience. I would recommend it to absolutely any and every student who is looking for a school with incredible academics and amazing peers. The student body is incredibly intelligent and passionate, yet never competitive. Students are also really friendly and there is a true sense of community on campus: when something is wrong, students look after and take care of each other. Bowdoin works very hard to foster both personal and academic growth in its students—one of Bowdoin's most admirable and impactful qualities. I found the classes to be extremely enjoyable. Professors put tons of effort into teaching their classes and make it clear that they really care about you. Academics are challenging yet extremely rewarding. Yes, the food and dorms are actually as great as everyone says they are. Also financial aid is astonishingly generous.... Read 721 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 9%

• Net price $26,727

• SAT range 1360-1510

• Waterville, ME•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  592 reviews

Freshman: It's definitely a tight knit community with a lot of niche activities. Because of the secluded nature of the campus, there are a lot of groups and clubs geared towards outdoorsy activities. Trips to hike or kayak or canoe or go ice-plunging are planned quite frequently, and there is no shortage of things to do if you know where to look and truly immerse yourself in the community. Most students here are progressive and very kind; I personally have felt that the academic culture is much more collaborative than competitive. Professors have been great so far and really do put in the time and effort to see us succeed. COOT is also a staple and a great opportunity for incoming students to get acquainted with each other and Maine. While Colby is definitely still a PWI, as an international student from Asia, I've found that there have been immense efforts to increase diversity in a meaningful way. Students of colour are definitely visible and vocal on campus, which I think is wonderful.... Read 592 reviews

• grade A

• Acceptance rate 9%

• Net price $17,912

• SAT range 1400-1530

• Lewiston, ME•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  401 reviews

Junior: Bates is a quality institution with caring professors, a beautiful campus, and a collaborative student culture. Even within STEM majors, there's an attitude of students supporting one another through hard classes rather than trying to get ahead. The party scene slows down during the colder months, but it gets made up for during Short Term with some party or event to be found almost every day. It's easy to get close with professors to the point where you might find yourself invited to dinners in their homes! Classes, especially smaller ones where the content is heavily based on your professor's research, are consistently engaging. Overall I've really loved my time at Bates, although as a major in a smaller department (neuroscience) I've felt that students can be impacted negatively by deficits in resources. When small schools have small departments like this, losing just one or two professors can severely damage the major. However, I think it's a great choice as a liberal arts school.... Read 401 reviews

• grade A

• Acceptance rate 17%

• Net price $26,231

• SAT range 1385-1460

• Fairfield, ME•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  148 reviews

Freshman: I have had the privilege of being at a University, a private college and now many years later I find myself at Kennebec Valley community College and all I can say is why didn’t I just start here in the beginning. Staff are super about their students, and they’ve handled the Pandemic amazingly . All in all they have made my returning to school seamless!... Read 148 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $8,435

• SAT range —

• Bangor, ME•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 4.01 out of 5  246 reviews

Senior: Overall as someone who works and goes to school full-time Eastern Maine Community College has supported me in reaching my educational goals. With their help, I am able to not only obtain my associate's degree in human services but later transfer those credits to my local university to reach my bachelor's. I am super grateful and cannot wait to keep pursuing my dream career of being a Clinician for the hospital where I currently work.... Read 246 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $10,843

• SAT range —

• Presque Isle, ME•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  31 reviews

Sophomore: Northern Maine Community college has been extremely helpful even to nontraditional students. The professors are more than willing to help with any issues that you may have. The college is easy to get around.... Read 31 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $9,327

• SAT range —

• Auburn, ME•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  258 reviews

Sophomore: At Central Maine Community College, you will find amazing and helpful professors, staff, and faculty that want to see you succeed. Everything you need to get you through your everyday life can be found here, academic programs, housing, dining commons, quiet study spaces, a good community, and lots of support. At CMCC, we are a small but mighty population of people that help each other get through the hardships of college and the challenges you may face. There are many programs of study offered at CM that help students of all ages reach their academic and career goals. I live on campus, which has been one of the most helpful things I have found. Being in the college environment everyday helps you stay focused on what you need and want to achieve. For Maine residents, tuition for all of the community colleges is free for the classes of 2020-2025. Because the campus is small, as well as the amount of students attending, everyone knows everyone else, and it is a very friendly space.... Read 258 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $8,396

• SAT range —

• Farmington, ME•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.62 out of 5  423 reviews

Alum: I loved my experience at UMF in the early childhood special education program! It was a small cohort, so I really got to know my peers well over the four years and developed excellent rapport with the faculty as well. Farmington has a great small town feel, is very safe, but still offers enough entertainment during the week with Augusta and Portland being within a reasonable distance for weekend adventures. The best aspect of my program was that I started my practicum experiences my sophomore year. Most teacher prep programs don't send students into the field until their junior, or in some cases, senior year. Starting early allowed me to really pinpoint how I wanted to be involved in education. UMF worked hard to listen to its students and genuinely took its students perspective into account when making changes for safety, diversity, equity, and community engagement. If I could spend another 4 years here, I would!... Read 423 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 97%

• Net price $14,386

• SAT range —

• Calais, ME•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  66 reviews

Freshman: I go online, I liked that my professors are kind and understanding. The four classes I've taken have all been wonderful so far.... Read 66 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $6,124

• SAT range —

• Fort Kent, ME•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  123 reviews

Freshman: My experience in this college during my freshman year has been excellent so far. What I enjoy about this college is the safety, this is one of the safest places I have ever been, people here leave their houses open and the keys in their cars and nothing never happens. Another aspect I enjoy about UMFK is how welcoming is the campus with new students. Since the beginning, I've felt really welcome. The staff here will help you in everything you need and facilitate you all the process of adaptation to the college. As a freshman and international student who had never lived away from home, this was extremely significant for me. Also, in this campus you can find a lot of diversity. International students are more than half of the students on campus. You can find students from every continent. This benefits you a lot personally because you get to appreciate different cultures and learn about them. The different types of people you will meet is amazing, definitely my favorite aspect.... Read 123 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $10,547

• SAT range 880-1070