Maine Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Maine: 12 trade and vocational campuses (6 trade schools, 6 community colleges) median net price $10,007 (-29.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $41,661 (+19.1% vs U.S.) median completion rate 48.7% employment-outcome proxy 10.4% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 12 campuses (6 trade schools, 6 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 14,920 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $41,661 (+19.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 10.4% (-70.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $10,007 (-29.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,578 (+9.1% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $10,104. Debt rank: #43 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #5 in New England of 6
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 48.7%
- Earnings rank: #6 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #52 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #43 nationally of 52; #5 in New England of 6 (lower debt = better rank)
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Maine include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 12 campuses in this profile (6 trade schools, 6 community colleges), with about 14,920 students enrolled, and median net price near $10,007. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and New England medians.
Maine vs regional & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine (ME) | — | $10,007 | $10,578 | 48.7% | 14,920 |
| New England (region median) | — | $17,260 | $10,104 | 69.3% | 148,935 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Maine vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine (ME) | $41,661 | 10.4% | N/A | 13.1% | — | 60.1% | 0.26 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Maine vs peer states (New England region)
Peer states are other campuses in the same Scorecard region, chosen by similar total enrollment.
| State | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine (ME) | N/A | $10,007 | $10,578 | 48.7% | 14,920 | $41,661 | 10.4% |
| Rhode Island (RI) | N/A | $21,660 | $10,376 | 79.8% | 13,058 | $37,286 | 39.3% |
| New Hampshire (NH) | N/A | $14,804 | $11,000 | 61.5% | 8,533 | $44,700 | 10.9% |
| Vermont (VT) | N/A | $24,129 | $8,412 | 66.7% | 3,025 | $36,234 | 13.0% |
| Connecticut (CT) | N/A | $17,469 | $9,833 | 72.0% | 40,930 | $40,014 | 21.2% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Maine
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 4 | $25,864 | 9.0% | N/A | 10.0% | — | 53.5% |
| Public | 7 | $41,704 | 11.8% | N/A | 13.7% | — | 64.6% |
Top 10 trade schools in Maine by completion rate (150% time, certificate programs)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate among trade schools and community colleges in this profile (enrollment ≥ 50). Source: College Scorecard.
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Rank 1, Completion Rate, 89.8%, Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 84.7%, Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 78.6%, Capilo School of Hair Design
Capilo School of Hair Design
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 66.7%, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 55.2%, Washington County Community College
Washington County Community College
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 42.3%, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 38.6%, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 33.8%, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 32.1%, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
-
Rank 10, Completion Rate, 30.3%, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Maine by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 62.8%, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 14.0%, Southern Maine Community College
Southern Maine Community College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 12.5%, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 11.9%, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 11.8%, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 9.0%, Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 9.0%, Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 8.8%, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 8.8%, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 7.6%, Washington County Community College
Washington County Community College
Top 9 trade schools in Maine by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $44,404, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,535, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,444, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,873, Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,780, Southern Maine Community College
Southern Maine Community College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $34,802, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $31,977, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $24,126, Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $19,338, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
Top 10 trade schools in Maine by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,906, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,911, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,033, Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,965, Southern Maine Community College
Southern Maine Community College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,978, Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,661, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $36,022, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $34,392, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $30,398, Washington County Community College
Washington County Community College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $21,338, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
Top 9 trade schools in Maine by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,873, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,348, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,448, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,704, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,661, Southern Maine Community College
Southern Maine Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $36,035, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,407, Washington County Community College
Washington County Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $27,803, Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $23,925, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
Top 10 trade schools in Maine by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year ROI among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $191,488, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $175,821, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $174,436, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $168,992, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $164,021, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $162,028, Washington County Community College
Washington County Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $160,678, Southern Maine Community College
Southern Maine Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $158,400, Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $135,566, Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $91,160, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Maine (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $3,910, Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $5,149, Washington County Community College
Washington County Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $6,975, Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $7,181, Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Community College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $5,875, York County Community College
York County Community College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $8,928, Eastern Maine Community College
Eastern Maine Community College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $11,086, Southern Maine Community College
Southern Maine Community College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $16,191, Empire Beauty School-Maine
Empire Beauty School-Maine
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Rank 9, Net Price, $18,711, Capilo School of Hair Design
Capilo School of Hair Design
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Rank 10, Net Price, $26,546, Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute
Student debt: Maine vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Maine is $10,578 (+9.1% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $10,104. Rank: #43 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #5 in New England of 6.
Median earnings (10 years out): Maine vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Maine center around $41,661 (+19.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Maine vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 10.4% at the median Maine campus (-70.5 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Median graduate debt is $10,578 (+9.1% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and +4.7% vs the New England regional median of $10,104). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #43 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #5 in New England of 6 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Maine are $41,661, about +19.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 10.4% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 80.9% (-70.5 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 13.1% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 60.1% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Maine ranks earnings #6 and employment proxy #52 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Empire Beauty School-Maine (62.8%), Southern Maine Community College (14.0%), Central Maine Community College (12.5%), Eastern Maine Community College (11.9%), York County Community College (11.8%), Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook (9.0%), Northeast Technical Institute (9.0%), Northern Maine Community College (8.8%), Kennebec Valley Community College (8.8%), Washington County Community College (7.6%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Maine, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $25,864 (4 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $41,704 (7 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Maine is 48.7% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Maine?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Maine, median net price is $10,007 vs $14,215 nationally (-29.6% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Maine trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Maine is $10,578 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Maine ranks #43 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Maine?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Maine trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $41,661 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $36,780.
What share of Maine trade school students are working after completion?
The federal employment-outcome proxy on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 10.4% in Maine vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Maine?
This profile covers 6 trade schools and 6 community colleges (12 total) in Maine with roughly 14,920 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Maine?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 7 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 4 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Maine?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Northeast Technical Institute; highest 10-year earnings: York County Community College; lowest net price among large campuses: Kennebec Valley Community College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Maine?
Among 37 campuses in Maine, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
How does Maine compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Maine is in the New England region. Regional median net price is $17,260 and median 10-year earnings are $41,661 vs $10,007 net price and $41,661 earnings in Maine.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Maine college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON