2027 Best Value Political Science Schools in Maine
[Political Science](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/political-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for political science students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Political Science Schools in Maine
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the political science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Political Science Schools
Bowdoin College earned the #1 spot for value among political science schools in Maine. Located in the town of Brunswick, Bowdoin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $67,832 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $19,634 to complete the political science program here. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Bowdoin College generally make around $60,626. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bowdoin College admits about 7% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in political 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. Political Science graduates carry a median of $19,212 in student loans. Political Science graduates of University Of Southern Maine earn a median of $28,589 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Students looking for strong value in political science will find it at Colby College, which ranked #3. Colby College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waterville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,600. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Colby College generally make around $54,353. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colby College admits about 7% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maine earned it the #4 place for political science. Set in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,326, compared with $36,756 for out-of-state students. Political Science graduates carry a median of $26,798 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from University Of Maine generally make around $38,235. That is a strong return on a $26,798 median debt. University Of Maine admits about 97% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Bates College earned it the #5 place for political science. Located in the city of Lewiston, Bates College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,590. Political Science graduates carry a median of $11,532 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Bates College generally make around $41,055. Set against $11,532 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 13% 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
