The U.S. state of Maine has twenty-nine accredited, degree-granting institutions of higher learning. The state's land-grant university and only research university is the University of Maine in Orono. It is the flagship of the University of Maine System, which also has institutions in Augusta, Portland/Gorham/Lewiston, Farmington, Fort Kent, Machias, and Presque Isle. Maine's public education system also includes the Maine Community College System, comprising seven schools, and the Maine Maritime Academy.
The state's three oldest institutions of higher education are Bowdoin College (founded in 1794), Colby College (1813), and Bates College (1855). The three colleges collectively form the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium and are often ranked in the top 10 percent of all liberal arts colleges.
The largest institution in the state is the public University of Maine, with 12,231 students. The smallest, with 43 students, is Maine Media College. The University of Maine is home to the state's only NCAA Division I athletic program, the Maine Black Bears. Maine also hosts numerous private baccalaureate colleges such as Husson University, Unity Environmental University, and Thomas College. There is only one medical school in the state, the University of New England's College of Osteopathic Medicine, and only one law school, the University of Maine School of Law.
Open institutions
School Location(s) Control TypeEnrollment(Fall 2024) FoundedAthletic ConferenceUniversity of MaineOrono, Portland, and MachiasPublicResearch university12,0291865AmEast (NCAA D-I)Unity Environmental UniversityNew Gloucester and UnityPrivateMasters university7,1651965N/ASouthern Maine Community CollegeSouth Portland and BrunswickPublicAssociates college7,9001946YSCC (USCAA D-II)University of New EnglandBiddeford and PortlandPrivateResearch university6,5731939CNE (NCAA D-III)University of Southern MaineGorham and PortlandPublicMasters university7,6041878LEC (NCAA D-III)Central Maine Community CollegeAuburnPublicAssociates college4,7541963YSCC (USCAA D-II)Husson UniversityBangorPrivateDoctoral university3,3671898CNE (NCAA D-III)University of Maine at AugustaAugustaPublicBaccalaureate college4,4121965YSCC (USCAA D-II)Eastern Maine Community CollegeBangorPublicAssociates college2,7191966N/AKennebec Valley Community CollegeFairfieldPublicAssociates college2,4891969Independent (USCAA D-II)Colby CollegeWatervillePrivateBaccalaureate college2,4121813NESCAC (NCAA D-III)York County Community CollegeWellsPublicAssociates college1,8751994YSCC (USCAA D-II)Bowdoin CollegeBrunswickPrivateBaccalaureate college1,8811794NESCAC (NCAA D-III)Bates CollegeLewistonPrivateBaccalaureate college1,7601855NESCAC (NCAA D-III)Thomas CollegeWatervillePrivateMasters university1,6351894NAC (NCAA D-III)University of Maine at FarmingtonFarmingtonPublicBaccalaureate college2,1001863NAC (NCAA D-III)University of Maine at Presque IslePresque IslePublicBaccalaureate college2,8731903NAC (NCAA D-III)Saint Joseph's College of MaineStandishPrivateMasters university1,4541912GNAC (NCAA D-III)Maine Maritime AcademyCastinePublicBaccalaureate college9711941CNE (NCAA D-III)Northern Maine Community CollegePresque IslePublicAssociates college8431961N/AWashington County Community CollegeCalaisPublicAssociates college8051969Independent (USCAA D-II)University of Maine at Fort KentFort KentPublicBaccalaureate college1,5621878Independent (USCAA D-II)Maine College of Art & DesignPortlandPrivateSpecial-focus institution4751882N/ABeal UniversityBangorPrivate(for-profit)Associates college5041891N/ACollege of the AtlanticBar HarborPrivateBaccalaureate college3581969N/AMaine College of Health ProfessionsLewistonPrivateSpecial-focus institution2391891N/AInstitute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual ArtsPortlandPrivateMasters college992007N/AThe Landing SchoolArundelPrivateSpecial-focus institution321978N/AMaine Media CollegeRockportPrivateSpecial-focus institution421973N/A
Defunct institutions School Location(s) Founded ClosedCiteBangor Theological SeminaryBangor18142013Bliss CollegeLewiston18971972Casco Bay CollegePortland18631999Eastern State Normal SchoolCastine18671942Gorham State CollegeGorham18781970Immaculate Heart of Mary InstituteSacoJohn F. Kennedy CollegeFort Kent19651975LaMennais CollegeAlfred19511959Mid-State CollegeAugusta18672003Nasson CollegeSpringvale19121983Northern Conservatory of MusicBangor19291972Oblate College & SeminaryBar Harbor19411969Ricker CollegeHoulton18481978Salt Institute for Documentary StudiesPortland19732016Acquired by the Maine College of Art Westbrook CollegePortland18311996
Out-of-state institutions Northeastern University in Massachusetts offers graduate degrees in technology at the Roux Institute in Portland. Tufts University School of Medicine in Massachusetts offers a medical degree program at the Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Unaccredited institutions Two schools are recognized by the state as a degree-granting institution, but have not been accredited by a recognized accrediting body: Heartwood College of Art — Biddeford New England Bible College and Seminary - Augusta, Maine
See also List of college athletic programs in Maine Higher education in the United States Lists of American institutions of higher education Education in Maine
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Notes
External links Department of Education listing of accredited institutions in Maine