2027 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Maine
[Marine Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/marine-biology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for marine biology students.
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2027 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Maine
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine biology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Marine Biology Schools
Southern Maine Community College earned the #1 spot for value among marine biology schools in Maine. Located in the city of South Portland, Southern Maine Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,156, with out-of-state students paying around $7,036. Students borrow a median of $13,869 to complete the marine biology program here. Early-career marine biology graduates make about $41,328. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maine one of the best values for marine biology. Set in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,326, while out-of-state students pay about $36,756. Students borrow a median of $25,984 to complete the marine biology program here. Early-career marine biology graduates make about $47,975. That is a strong return on a $25,984 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
Unity College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value marine biology schools. Located in the rural area of New Gloucester, Unity College is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,640. Marine Biology graduates carry a median of $27,083 in student loans. Early-career marine biology graduates make about $36,144. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in marine biology will find it at University Of New England, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Biddeford, University Of New England is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $44,210 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for marine biology graduates is $27,000. Marine Biology graduates of University Of New England earn a median of $29,871 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
