Quad

University of Southern Maine

Portland, MEQuad's selectivityAccessible
Known forAdmits women at a higher rateTest-optional heavy

Admissions · Fall 2024

8 in 10 applicants admitted

U. Southern Maine admits about 8 in 10 applicants (79%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 45% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

79%

79%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

5,822

Admitted

4,613

Yield

15%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

990–1250

8001600
ACT middle 50%

24–28

1836
Applications +54% since fall 2014 · admit rate 84% → 79%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 4,222 undergrads, where 28% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

4.2K

undergrads · larger than 75% of colleges

Diversity index

0.42

Pell Grant

28%

below the median

First generation

33%

about the median

Small cityNCAA D-III · Little East ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.33 → 0.42 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (12% of graduates). 14 students for every faculty member, more than at 58% of colleges. 40% of faculty are full-time. Spends $10,101 a year on instruction per student.

14 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 58% of colleges

Most popular major

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

12% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Mechanical Engineering

$88.5K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

40%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$10.1K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $22,020 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.3K less than the national median. The 95% who received grants paid $14,028 on average; the other 5% paid the full sticker price of $26,812 in-state / $42,996 out-of-state.

33%

$22K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2.3K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$26,812 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 33% of full price

Federal loans

35%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Cost falling · −21% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $49,958 ten years after enrolling, more than at 39% of colleges; 49% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.8 years of that salary.

49%

49%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$50K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$19.1K

≈ $202/month for 10 years

Retention

74%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 32% → 40% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 6% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 21%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 54% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 84% to 79%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −21% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +54%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 84% → 79%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.33 → 0.42

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Wayne State College

3K undergrads

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Millersville University of Pennsylvania

86% admit · SAT 1115 · 5.7K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Northeast
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Southeast Missouri State University

76% admit · SAT 1105 · 6.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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Morehead State University

77% admit · 4.6K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    University of Southern Maine (2026)

    University of Southern Maine · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 161554 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything