2027 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Maine

[Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Maine
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the liberal arts / sciences & humanities degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools
York County Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools in Maine. Set in the suburb of Wells, York County Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,156, compared with $7,036 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $12,757. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $35,803. That is a strong return on a $12,757 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maine At Presque Isle one of the best values for liberal arts / sciences & humanities. University Of Maine At Presque Isle is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Presque Isle. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,402, compared with $14,862 for out-of-state students. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $24,750 in student loans. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of University Of Maine At Presque Isle earn a median of $38,395 early in their careers. Set against $24,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maine At Presque Isle admits about 100% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Kennebec Valley Community College one of the best values for liberal arts / sciences & humanities. Set in the town of Fairfield, Kennebec Valley Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,156, while out-of-state students pay about $7,036. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $32,448. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities will find it at Central Maine Community College, which ranked #4. Central Maine Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Auburn. In-state tuition and fees average $4,140, with out-of-state students paying around $7,020. Students borrow a median of $15,575 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of Central Maine Community College earn a median of $31,646 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Maine At Fort Kent came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Set in the rural area of Fort Kent, University Of Maine At Fort Kent is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,420, compared with $14,880 for out-of-state students. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $30,447 in student loans. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $71,551. Set against $30,447 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Maine Community College landed the #6 spot for liberal arts / sciences & humanities value this year. Located in the city of Bangor, Eastern Maine Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,156, compared with $7,036 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $12,402. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of Eastern Maine Community College earn a median of $52,263 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Maine At Augusta earned the #7 position for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. University Of Maine At Augusta is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Augusta. Students from in state pay about $8,888 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,178. Students borrow a median of $23,695 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of University Of Maine At Augusta earn a median of $35,428 early in their careers. Set against $23,695 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southern Maine Community College came in at #8 for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. Southern Maine Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of South Portland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,156, while out-of-state students pay about $7,036. Students borrow a median of $10,250 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of Southern Maine Community College earn a median of $27,742 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Southern Maine earned the #9 position for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Portland. In-state tuition and fees average $12,090, with out-of-state students paying around $29,940. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $25,000. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $29,716. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. University Of Southern Maine admits about 79% of applicants.
University Of Maine At Farmington placed #10 among the best values for liberal arts / sciences & humanities. Set in the rural area of Farmington, University Of Maine At Farmington is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,308, compared with $23,878 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,703 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $35,414. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 97%.
University Of Maine landed the #11 spot for liberal arts / sciences & humanities value this year. University Of Maine is a large public school located in the suburb of Orono. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,326, compared with $36,756 for out-of-state students. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $21,166 in student loans. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $34,404. Set against $21,166 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
Husson University earned the #12 position for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. Husson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bangor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,304. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $36,809. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
College Of The Atlantic came in at #13 for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. College Of The Atlantic is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Bar Harbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $47,997. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $25,475 in student loans. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $23,003. That is a strong return on a $25,475 median debt. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
More Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Rankings
View All Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.