Welcome to our ranking of the best nonprofit online colleges in Maine.
Pursuing your college education online has many distinct advantages over an on-campus degree program. Online degree programs tend to be far more affordable than on-campus programs. Not only are they more affordable, but online degrees also afford students greater flexibility with their education. Another benefit of an online degree program is that it allows students to enroll in colleges that they are not geographically close to. If these benefits sound important to you, then this ranking of the top nonprofit online colleges in Maine might help you find the online school that’s right for you. These programs have been ranked by their tuition per credit rate.
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Ranking the Best Online Colleges in Maine
#1. University of Maine at Augusta
Located in Augusta, Maine, the University of Maine at Augusta is a public university. Part of the University of Maine System, the University of Maine at Augusta was first established in 1965. At the time, the University of Maine at Augusta was started as an extension campus of the University of Maine. Wanting to extend the reach of the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Augusta acted as a facility at which students could enroll in classes offered by the University of Maine. Offering both day and evening classed, the University of Maine at Augusta provided the people of Augusta with the opportunity for a higher education. Soon after its founding, the University of Maine at Augusta had grown substantially in size. By 1971, it was decided that the school had grown so large that it would be best to separate it off into its own campus. Operating independently of the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Augusta was able to cultivate its own identity as an institution of higher learning. Growing its academic offerings and attracting students from across the state, the Universit of Maine at Augusta has now grown to become one of Maine’s top colleges. Today, the University of Maine at Augusta enrolls a student body of over 6,000 students.
Students at the University of Maine at Augusta are afforded the opportunity to select from a large catalog of academic programs offered by the school. At this time, the University of Maine at Augusta offers students nearly twenty different undergraduate programs to choose from. A selection of these programs is also made available to students entirely online. By making these programs available online, the University of Maine at Augusta has ranked among the top online colleges in Maine. University of Maine at Augusta is a public institution.
Accreditation: University of Maine at Augusta is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $291/credit
Click here for a list of University of Maine at Augusta‘s online programs.
#2. University of Southern Maine
A member of the University of Maine System, the University of Southern Maine was first established in 1878. Operating multiple campuses, the University of Southern Maine has locations in Gorham, Lewiston, and Portland. The oldest institution comprising the University of Southern Maine was known as Gorham Academy. In 1878, Gorham Academy was reestablished as Gorham Normal School. This was part of an effort by the State of Maine to create teacher training facilities in order to bolster the workforce of teachers in the state. Over time, Gorham Normal School grew to offer students the opportunity to enroll in college degree programs. This change led to Gorham Normal School being renamed to Gorham State Teachers College. Banking off the success in the degrees in Education, Gorham State Teachers College began adding additional degree programs to its curriculum. Over time, the school had accumulated so many other degree programs that it was renamed to Gorham State College. At this same time, Portland Junior College had started to offer full four-year degree programs, which also led to the school being renamed to the University of Maine at Portland. In 1970, the University of Maine at Portland merged with Gorham State College and was called the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham. In 1978, the school’s name was changed one final time to the University of Southern Maine. Ten years later the school established its third campus in Lewiston, Maine. Now, the University of Southern Maine is home to almost 8,000 students.
Home of the Huskies, the University of Southern Maine offers students the opportunity to select from a massive catalog of academic programs offered at the school. At the time of this writing, students at the University of Southern Maine can enroll in dozens of academic programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees. Of these programs, over a dozen of them are made available to students entirely online. By offering these programs online, the University of Southern Maine has earned its place among the top online universities and colleges in Maine. University of Southern Maine is a public institution.
Accreditation: University of Southern Maine is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $339/credit
Click here for a list of University of Southern Maine‘s online programs.
#3. St. Joseph’s College of Maine
With the motto “Courage and Hope”, St. Joseph’s College of Maine is a private Catholic college. Located in Standish, Maine, St. Joseph’s College of Maine was founded by a group known as the Sisters of Mercy. After arriving in the Portland area in 1873, the Sisters of Mercy began working on plans to establish a college that would serve the area. In 1912, their plans finally came to fruition, and the Sisters of Mercy began teaching female students. Over the next four decades, the school continued to operate out of the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse. In 1949, the school was renamed from Saint Joseph’s to The College of Our Lady of Mercy. This name change was shortlived as the school soon relocated to Standish, Maine. After moving to Standish, Maine, it was decided that the school would be renamed to Saint Joseph’s once more. Twenty years later, Saint Joseph’s began accepting its first male students. In 1976, Saint Joseph’s made history as it began to pioneer distance education. This early dedication to distance education has continued throughout Saint Joseph’s history. Eventually renamed to St. Joseph’s College of Maine, the school has now grown to become one of Maine’s top colleges and enrolls over 2,400 students.
Students at St. Joseph’s College of Maine are able to enroll in a wide variety of academic programs offered at the school. At this time, St. Joseph’s College of Maine offers students dozens of different academic programs from which to select. Many of these programs are also offered to students entirely online. By offering these programs online, St. Joseph’s College of Maine has ranked among the top online colleges in Maine. St. Joseph’s College of Maine is a private institution.
Accreditation: St. Joseph’s College of Maine is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $345/credit
Click here for a list of St. Joseph’s College of Maine‘s online programs.
#4. University of Maine at Fort Kent
Established in 1878, the University of Maine at Fort Kent is a public university. Located in Fort Kent, Maine, the University of Maine at Fort Kent was formerly named Madawaska Training School. Named after its location in the Madawaska territory, the school was created in order to help Americanize the mostly French population. Operating as a teacher’s school, the Madawaska Training School taught teachers that would then go on to work in the nearby schools. In 1955, the school was renamed to Fort Kent Normal School to better reflect the area’s new name. Continuing to operate as a training facility for teachers, Fort Kent Normal School eventually began offering students the opportunity to enroll in bachelor’s in education degrees. With this change in curriculum came a new name: Fort Kent State Teachers College. Noticing the popularity of the bachelor’s in education programs, Fort Kent State Teachers College moved towards adopting additional academic programs for students to choose from. With the addition of these programs, the school’s name was changed to Fort Kent State College. In 1970, Fort Kent State College was officially renamed to the University of Maine at Fort Kent and was formally made part of the University of Maine System. Today, the University of Maine at Fort Kent enrolls a student body of over 1,500 students.
The University of Maine at Fort Kent currently offers its students the ability to choose from a wide selection of academic programs. At this time, students at the University of Maine at Fort Kent can select from over a dozen different undergraduate programs. A number of these programs are also made available to students entirely online. By offering these programs to students online, the University of Maine at Fort Kent has ranked among the top online universities and colleges in Maine. University of Maine at Fort Kent is a public institution.
Accreditation: University of Maine at Fort Kent is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $365/credit
Click here for a list of University of Maine at Fort Kent‘s online programs.
#5. University of Maine
The flagship of the University of Maine System, the University of Maine is a public research university. Established in 1865, the University of Maine is located in Orono, Maine. Established through the Morrill Act, the University of Maine was originally known as the Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, the Maine College. Operating with this name until 1897, Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, the Maine College was renamed to the University of Maine. At the time of its founding, the University of Maine’s curriculum was focused primarily around engineering and agriculture. Over time, the University of Maine began to grow away from solely offering those types of educations. The University of Maine was also quick to add graduate-level programming to its school. In 1881, the University of Maine offered students its first master’s degree and its first doctoral program in 1960. Always forward-thinking, the University of Maine has been consistently recognized for its academic achievements. At this time, the University of Maine is the only university in the state to have been recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education for its research activity. Now, the University of Maine is home to a student body of over 11,000 students.
With the motto “I Guide”, the University of Maine currently offers its student body the ability to select from a large catalog of academic programs offered at the school. At the time of this writing, students at the University of Maine can choose from over 100 different undergraduate programs as well as many graduate programs. The University of Maine also offers many of these programs online, helping the school to earn a place among the top online colleges in Maine. University of Maine is a public institution.
Accreditation: University of Maine is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $366/credit
Click here for a list of University of Maine‘s online programs.
#6. University of Maine at Machias
Located in Machias, Maine, the University of Maine at Machias is a public university. First established in 1909, the University of Maine at Machias was originally known as the Washington State Normal School. At the time of its founding, the State of Maine was establishing a series of normal schools across the state. One of those normal schools, Washington State Normal School provided teacher training programs in an effort to help create a better-educated population of potential teachers to work in the state’s public education system. Operating as a normal school for over forty years, the next big change for the Washington State Normal School came when it became a college. In 1952, Washington State Normal School began offering students the ability to enroll in degrees in education and was renamed to Washington State Teachers’ College. In 1969, plans to merge Washington State Teachers’ College with a nearby vocational school began to be discussed. However, these plans fell through after much protesting, and Washington State Teachers’ College remained a four-year institution. One year later, the school was made part of the University of Maine System and was renamed to the University of Maine at Machias. Today, the University of Maine at Machias boasts a student body of over 800 students.
Home of the Clippers, the University of Maine at Machias maintains a large catalog of academic programs. Students at the University of Maine at Machias can choose from dozens of different undergraduate degree programs. Of these programs, the University of Maine at Machias offers a selection of these degrees to students online. Through their dedication to online learning, the University of Maine at Machias has placed among the top online colleges in Maine. University of Maine at Machias is a public institution.
Accreditation: University of Maine at Machias is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $475/credit
Click here for a list of University of Maine at Machias‘ online programs.
#7. University of New England
With the motto “Ardor for light”, the University of New England is a private university. Located in Biddeford, Maine, the University of New England was first established in 1831. Operating different campuses across Maine, the University of New England’s oldest campus was originally known as Westbrook Seminary, which is now home to the University of New England’s Portland Campus. The mainline history of the University of New England can be traced back to 1939 with the founding of College Séraphique. Both a high school and junior college, College Séraphique only admitted male students. For the next thirteen years, College Séraphique continued to operate in this capacity until its name was changed to St. Francis College in 1952. It was at this time that St. Francis College began offering students bachelor’s degrees. The bachelor’s programs at St. Francis College proved to be very popular, and the school soon discontinued its high school programs in 1961. Six years later, St. Francis College switched to a coeducational model and began enrolling male and female students. In 1978, St. Francis College merged with the New England Foundation for Osteopathic Medicine and was renamed to the University of New England. In 1996, the University of New England absorbed Westbrook College. Today, the University of New England enrolls almost 14,000 students.
Students at the University of New England can choose from a large catalog of academic programs offered at the school. Currently, the University of New England is offering over forty undergraduate degrees and over thirty graduate programs. Many of these programs are also offered to students entirely online. By dedicating resources to online learning, the University of New England has ranked among the top online colleges in Maine. University of New England is a private institution.
Accreditation: University of New England is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $560/credit
Click here for a list of University of New England‘s online programs.
#8. Husson University
Located in Bangor, Maine, Husson University is a private university. Established in 1898, Husson University was first opened as the Shaw School of Business. With relatively slow and modest beginnings, it wasn’t until the end of World War II that enrollment at Shaw School of Business began to pick up. After many soldiers returned back to the United States who were eager to take advantage of the GI Bill, Shaw School of Business saw its enrollment numbers surge. In 1953, Shaw School of Business was officially recognized by the State of Maine and was renamed to Husson College. Expanding its focus beyond business education, Husson College began adding additional degree programs to its overall course offerings. This also led to the inclusion of graduate-level courses, which resulted in the school being renamed to Husson University. Husson University underwent another major change in 1981 after it established the Eastern Maine Medical Center Baccalaureate School of Nursing, expanding its academic programs into the field of medicine. Continually growing, Husson University has attracted students from all over the state to enroll in its programs. Having grown to be much more than its business school roots, Husson University now enrolls a student body of over 3,500 students.
With the motto “Character & Humility”, Husson University offers its students many different academic programs to enroll in. Committing to online education, Husson University offers many of these programs to students entirely online. Because of their online efforts, Husson University has ranked among the top online colleges in Maine. Husson University is a private institution.
Accreditation: Husson University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Tuition: $570/credit
Click here for a list of Husson University‘s online programs.
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