Best Maine Colleges
Maine has 7 ranked four-year colleges, part of our national best colleges ranking. Rankings weigh admission scores, graduation rates, and selectivity using statistical data, not editorial picks.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, topping our list in Maine. The top rated public university is University of Maine. Also highly ranked: Colby College, Bates College and University of Maine.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by tuition, acceptance rate, or enrollment to find the school that fits you.
Bowdoin College
- Private 4 Year
- Brunswick, ME
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 5 application deadline
Bowdoin is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate government, environmental studies, and the sciences. The historic campus sits in the coastal college town of Brunswick.
- SAT Range 1470-1550
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 7%
- Net Price $22,228
Colby College
- Private 4 Year
- Waterville, ME
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Colby is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental studies, economics, and government. The residential campus sits on Mayflower Hill above Waterville.
- SAT Range 1460-1550
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.86
- Acceptance Rate 7%
- Net Price $16,219
Bates College
- Private 4 Year
- Lewiston, ME
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Bates is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate political science, economics, and biology. Most students live on the residential campus in the small city of Lewiston.
- SAT Range 1420-1530
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 13%
- Net Price $24,723
University of Maine
- Public 4 Year
- Orono, ME
-
| 0 reviews
UMaine is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, forestry, and marine sciences. The wooded campus sits along the Stillwater River in the college town of Orono.
- SAT Range 1070-1330
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $18,061
University of Southern Maine
- Public 4 Year
- Portland, ME
-
| 0 reviews
USM is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. Students split time between an urban Portland campus and a residential campus in nearby Gorham.
- SAT Range 990-1250
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $14,028
University of Maine at Farmington
- Public 4 Year
- Farmington, ME
-
| 0 reviews
University of Maine at Farmington is a small public liberal arts college known for undergraduate teacher education and creative writing. The residential campus is set in the western Maine college town of Farmington.
- SAT Range 995-1245
- Avg GPA 3.15
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $17,451
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
- Private 4 Year
- Standish, ME
-
| 0 reviews
A private Catholic college known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus sits on the shores of Sebago Lake in a rural Maine setting.
- SAT Range 960-1150
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $28,217