Online Degrees In Maine (ME)

Maine, the Pine Tree State, at the northeasternmost corner of the continental U.S., may feel like a world all its own. Surrounded on three sides by Canada and the Atlantic Ocean, its thickly wooded areas, beaches and other wild natural features make it a popular tourist draw. But they also help to make Maine the most rural state in the country — one with a rapidly aging workforce.

The state’s economy is thriving, with a budget surplus, low unemployment and high minimum wage. Though many of its paper mills have closed, the state’s economy has shifted toward jobs of the 21st century, meaning a heavy dependence on a suitably educated workforce to fill these positions. Online education in Maine is set to play a critical role in addressing this need.

This guide can provide valuable information about the benefits of online degree programs in Maine and how to identify the programs that suit your goals.

Maine’s economy faces significant workforce challenges that could inhibit its growth. First, its population is the nation’s oldest, with a median age of 44.7, according to the 2018 American Community Survey. By 2020, its number of residents ages 65+ is headed to outnumber its young. Additionally, Educate Maine reports that 66 percent of its highest-paying, most in-demand jobs through 2024 will likely require some postsecondary education, but only 44 percent of Mainers hold postsecondary credentials. With a shrinking workforce limited by lack of credentials, the state desperately needs to grow its pool of college-educated workers.

But its rural geography is a challenge. More than 60 percent of Mainers live outside metropolitan areas. Though the state has 40 postsecondary institutions, only 14 are found in rural areas, so rural students may not have access to desired programs.

Maine colleges that offer online degree programs may be the ideal solution. Without the need to attend classes in brick-and-mortar facilities, students have more choices available. Transportation and scheduling issues are minimized because many online classes allow students to log on at times that fit their unique schedules.

Plus, it pays to earn this credential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2017 that even some college increases median weekly earnings when compared to just a high school diploma. An associate degree increased those earnings by more than $120 per week, and a bachelor’s degree increased weekly earnings by roughly 65 percent.

We’ve considered such factors as number of online programs, tuition rates, availability of student support and more to develop the following list of top 10 Maine colleges that offer online degree programs.

1
University of Maine at Augusta
Augusta, ME
https://www.uma.edu/
Average in-state tuition
$6,990
No. of online programs
29
% of students in distance education
75%
Avg. amount of Aid
$5,558
Admissions Rate
N/A%
Graduation Rate
18%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
2
University of Maine
Orono, ME
https://www.umaine.edu/
Average in-state tuition
$8,790
No. of online programs
31
% of students in distance education
32%
Avg. amount of Aid
$9,297
Admissions Rate
92%
Graduation Rate
60%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
3
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME
https://www.usm.maine.edu
Average in-state tuition
$7,588
No. of online programs
16
% of students in distance education
41%
Avg. amount of Aid
$7,683
Admissions Rate
85%
Graduation Rate
39%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
4
Kennebec Valley Community College
Fairfield, ME
https://www.kvcc.me.edu
Average in-state tuition
$2,820
No. of online programs
12
% of students in distance education
40%
Avg. amount of Aid
$2,624
Admissions Rate
N/A%
Graduation Rate
N/A%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
No
5
University of New England
Biddeford, ME
https://www.une.edu/0
Average in-state tuition
$36,300
No. of online programs
13
% of students in distance education
50%
Avg. amount of Aid
$17,688
Admissions Rate
80%
Graduation Rate
63%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
6
University of Maine at Fort Kent
Fort Kent, ME
https://www.umfk.maine.edu
Average in-state tuition
$6,990
No. of online programs
14
% of students in distance education
40%
Avg. amount of Aid
$5,467
Admissions Rate
95%
Graduation Rate
46%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
7
Central Maine Community College
Auburn, ME
https://www.cmcc.edu0
Average in-state tuition
$2,820
No. of online programs
6
% of students in distance education
30%
Avg. amount of Aid
$4,753
Admissions Rate
N/A%
Graduation Rate
N/A%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
8
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Presque Isle, ME
https://www.umpi.edu/
Average in-state tuition
$6,990
No. of online programs
5
% of students in distance education
45%
Avg. amount of Aid
$6,507
Admissions Rate
92%
Graduation Rate
35%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
9
York County Community College
Wells, ME
https://www.yccc.edu
Average in-state tuition
$2,820
No. of online programs
5
% of students in distance education
44%
Avg. amount of Aid
$2,315
Admissions Rate
N/A%
Graduation Rate
N/A%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
No
10
Southern Maine Community College
South Portland, ME
https://www.smccME.edu
Average in-state tuition
$2,820
No. of online programs
2
% of students in distance education
32%
Avg. amount of Aid
$4,727
Admissions Rate
N/A%
Graduation Rate
N/A%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

We’ve used information provided by the National Center for Education Statistics to develop the following list of top online degree programs in Maine.

Program Name
No. of online programs
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
11
Business Administration and Management, General
9
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
8
Accounting
7
Human Services, General
6
Psychology, General
5
Information Technology
5
Public Administration
4
Fire Services Administration
4
Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
4

Meeting the demands of employers means workers must obtain high-quality online degrees to ensure what students learn is relevant and useful on the job. Fortunately, aspiring learners can take comfort in knowing that many Maine colleges that offer online degree programs are working to ensure quality. In general, according to Bangor Daily News, the University of Maine and Maine Community College Systems are leading the state’s workforce efforts by working with K-12 educators, the state’s government and Maine businesses to ensure that Maine’s degree programs offer needed, relevant education to meet the economy’s needs.

With regard to online education in Maine specifically, students benefit from the fact that Maine is a member state of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), an agreement among member states that establishes comparable national standards for distance-education courses and programs across state lines, which guarantees a certain level of quality from member institutions.

At the institution level, many schools, such as University of Southern Maine and Unity College follow Quality Matters standards, meaning that those schools have voluntarily undergone a rigorous peer review process intended to ensure high quality of online and hybrid courses.

From high school seniors ready to attend college for the first time to adults looking to refresh their skills with graduate degrees or finish a long-ago-started degree, every learner has unique needs in an online program. One way to find a quality online education in Maine is to use the free questionnaire provided by the SARA National Council (NC-SARA), the Online Learning Consortium, Quality Matters and the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies. Its questions help students discover what they most need and want from online degree programs in Maine in order to make informed choices. They include such topics as:

Academic and professional expectations: What do you expect from the program and what does it expect from you?

Learning experiences: What are the courses and instructors like, and what might it be like to be a student there?

Money matters: What are the costs associated with the program, and how much financial aid is being offered to you for this program?

Technological issues: What are the technological requirements for the program, and are you able to meet these requirements? How much technical support and equipment are available?

It’s also essential that any program you consider is accredited, to ensure not only that you’re eligible for financial aid but also so that you are assured a baseline level of quality to meet the needs of employers in your field.

To help you align your education with the needs of the state’s employers, we have developed this list of the top occupations in Maine, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Occupation
Number of Workers
Median Salary
Office and Administrative Support Occupations82,120$36,490
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations58,170$25,120
Sales and Related Occupations56,460$28,520
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations46,790$32,370
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations42,390$67,160
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations41,880$45,230
Healthcare Support Occupations35,600$29,340
Production Occupations35,410$38,850
Management Occupations35,130$86,340
Construction and Extraction Occupations27,880$43,500
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations26,050$44,060
Business and Financial Operations Occupations25,240$62,920
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations22,550$29,540
Retail Salespersons20,330$25,530
Home Health and Personal Care Aides16,960$26,340
Registered Nurses14,490$68,940
Cashiers14,080$24,190
Fast Food and Counter Workers13,530$24,000
Personal Care and Service Occupations13,040$27,900
Waiters and Waitresses12,970$24,360

Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.

Maine prides itself on keeping tuitions low. The Maine Community College System has frozen its tuitions and the university system has only increased tuitions once in seven years. These efforts are aimed at increasing the college-completion rate in the state. Nonetheless, students are likely to need financial aid resources in order to afford their online degrees in Maine.

The university system also has established its Promise Initiative, which targets first-year, in-state Maine students currently enrolled at four of its campuses who demonstrate the greatest financial need. Though most campuses only offer it to on-campus students, at University of Maine at Augusta, the program is termed Pine Tree State Pledge and it is available to part-time and transfer students who access their programs either on campus or online.

Additionally, Maine students may take advantage of other grant funding, including these:

State of Maine Grant Program: need-based grants of up to $1,500 for undergraduate Maine students

Educators for Maine Program: merit-based, forgivable loan for Maine students pursuing careers in education or child care in state

Alfond Leaders Program: student loan repayment assistance program for people living and working in Maine-based STEM occupations

Prospective students should consult with the Finance Authority of Maine and their intended schools to learn more about potential sources of grant and scholarship funding.

Scholarship Listing

The Senator Joel Abromson Memorial Scholarship
No. of Awards
5
Deadline
April 15
Max. Award Amount
1,000
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicant must be a senior in a Maine high school who has been accepted to any institution of higher learning. Cover letter (with applicant's name, address, phone number, name of high school, and name of higher educational institution that he or she is planning to attend), two letters of recommendation, a copy of acceptance letter from the selected institution of higher education, and essay answering a specified question.
More
The Mitchell Scholarship
No. of Awards
135
Deadline
April 1
Max. Award Amount
9,500
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicant must be a legal resident of Maine who plans to attend a two- or four-year degree program at an accredited college or university and must be a graduating senior from a public high school in Maine. Selection is based on academic promise, community impact and financial need.
More
Josephine Hooker Shain Scholarship
No. of Awards
12
Deadline
April 30
Max. Award Amount
2,000
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicant must be a resident of Georgetown, ME, who has applied to or has been accepted at an accredited college, university, or trade school.
More
Maine State Society of Washington D.C. Scholarship
No. of Awards
10
Deadline
March 15
Max. Award Amount
2,500
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicant must be under age 25, have been born in or have been a legal resident of the state of Maine for at least four years or have at least one parent who was born in or who has been a legal resident for at least four years, and be enrolled for a minimum of 12 semester hours at a four-year nonprofit college or university in Maine. Applicant must have a minimum 3.2 GPA and submit a student copy" of college transcript and a handwritten composition (500-word maximum) containing background information on applicant's qualifications for scholarship. SASE required. Award may only be used at Maine colleges and universities."
More
Business and Professional Women/Maine Continuing Education Scholarship
No. of Awards
1
Deadline
April 13
Max. Award Amount
1,200
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicants must be Maine residents who have completed at least one year of college or will have done so by the end of the spring semester following application. They must be in good standing or on an approved leave of absence of one year or less at their educational institution. Financial need is required, and the student must have a definite plan to complete the program in which she is enrolled.
More

Source: Scholarship directory data is copyrighted material which is reproduced on this website by permission of CollegeXpress, a division of Carnegie Dartlet. Copyright © 2020 by CollegeXpress.

Every school has different requirements for admission, so students should consult with individual schools’ admissions representatives to learn about how to apply. While there’s no single entrance exam required for every Maine online college, it’s typical for schools to ask for scores from the SAT or ACT.


See Methodology Information Here
Sources

Methodologies and Sources