2026 Best Value Computer Science Schools in Maine
[Computer Science](/majors/computer-information-sciences/computer-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong computer science education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for computer science students.
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2026 Best Value Computer Science Schools in Maine
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the computer science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Computer Science Schools
Southern Maine Community College earned the #1 spot for value among computer science schools in Maine. Set in the city of South Portland, Southern Maine Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,156 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,036 for out-of-state students. Computer Science graduates carry a median of $13,869 in student loans. Soon after graduation, computer science degree recipients from Southern Maine Community College generally make around $41,328. That is a strong return on a $13,869 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in computer science will find it at University Of Southern Maine, which ranked #2. University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Portland. Students from in state pay about $12,090 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,940. Typical student debt for computer science graduates is $20,387. Early-career computer science graduates make about $67,956. That is a strong return on a $20,387 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
University Of Maine is a great value for students pursuing a degree in computer science, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,326 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $36,756. Students borrow a median of $26,209 to complete the computer science program here. Early-career computer science graduates make about $77,046. That is a strong return on a $26,209 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in computer science will find it at Bowdoin College, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Brunswick, Bowdoin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,832. Computer Science graduates carry a median of $20,658 in student loans. Soon after graduation, computer science degree recipients from Bowdoin College generally make around $58,938. That is a strong return on a $20,658 median debt. Roughly 7% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in computer science will find it at Colby College, which ranked #5. Colby College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waterville. Students from in state pay about $69,600 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for computer science graduates is $22,016. Early-career computer science graduates make about $46,772. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Colby College admits about 7% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
