Maine College of Art & Design
Portland, ME 04101-3494
About Maine College of Art & Design
Maine College of Art & Design is a private research university in Portland, Maine, enrolling about 415 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 76.06% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $40,778 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Maine College of Art & Design charges 46% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($42,942).
- Versus the Maine median, sticker tuition is about 3.3×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 51.55%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $40,778.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine College of Art & Design | $42,942 | $38,338 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Maine (state median) | $12,983 | $8,205 | 28 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 11% below published tuition at Maine College of Art & Design
Key findings
- Maine College of Art & Design's average net price ($38,338) is 11% below published tuition ($42,942).
- Maine College of Art & Design charges 46% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($42,942).
- Versus the Maine median, sticker tuition is about 3.3×.
Maine College of Art & Design tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $42,942
Finding Maine College of Art & Design charges 46% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $42,942. That is 46% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Maine median ($12,983), sticker tuition is about 3.3×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.6×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Maine College of Art & Design versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Maine College of Art & Design versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Maine College of Art & Design is $38,338.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $38,338 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $30,133 above the Maine median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $23,367 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Maine College of Art & Design’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 11% lower after grants and scholarships.
Maine College of Art & Design: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Maine College of Art & Design—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$42,942
Avg. net price
$38,338
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $31,589 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $33,075 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $35,283 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $40,992 |
| $110,001+ | $42,001 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $171,768. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Maine College of Art & Design is known for
Top program completions
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects20
- 05.004117
- Journalism, Other16
- Fine/Studio Arts, General12
- Art Teacher Education11
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 17% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Maine College of Art & Design a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Maine College of Art & Design is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Maine College of Art & Design.
Campus
Location
Portland, ME
City / state
- ZIP
- 04101-3494
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 2.6× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- New England
- Carnegie
- Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting)
Size
Enrollment
415
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 430
- Graduate
- 58
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 28.57%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Maine College of Art & Design.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Maine College of Art & Design was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Maine College of Art & Design in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $30,990 | $30,990 | $29,009 |
| 2014 | $31,670 | $31,670 | $28,640 |
| 2015 | $32,290 | $32,290 | $30,110 |
| 2016 | $32,922 | $32,922 | $29,273 |
| 2017 | $34,050 | $34,050 | $29,823 |
| 2018 | $35,050 | $35,050 | $30,830 |
| 2019 | $36,424 | $36,424 | $32,293 |
| 2020 | $38,310 | $38,310 | $32,669 |
| 2021 | $38,690 | $38,690 | $34,380 |
| 2022 | $39,830 | $39,830 | $34,545 |
| 2023 | $41,398 | $41,398 | $36,443 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Maine College of Art & Design reported total enrollment of about 415 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 22% male and 78% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (77.6%), Hispanic or Latino (7.2%), and Two or More Races (7.2%). About 28.57% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 23.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Maine College of Art & Design in 2024 is 415 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 430 students. Graduate enrollment is about 58 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
71.7%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
47.42% 100% Completion Time
51.55% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 47.42% of students graduating from Maine College of Art & Design completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects: 35% male / 65% female
- 05.0041: 12% male / 88% female
- Journalism, Other: 6% male / 94% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Maine College of Art & Design graduates earn a median of $40,778 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Maine College of Art & Design.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $40,778. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $38,338.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Maine College of Art & Design graduates report median earnings of $40,778 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Maine College of Art & Design.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (15 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Maine College of Art & Design.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Maine College of Art & Design graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Maine College of Art & Design—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$15.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Maine median near the median ($15.4M)
- New England median 0.36× the median ($42.9M)
- U.S. median 0.59× the median ($26.4M)
- Maine median 3.0× the median ($12,087)
- New England median 1.6× the median ($23,268)
- U.S. median 3.0× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 31.9%
- Maine median 21.2 pp below median (53.1%)
- New England median 21.3 pp below median (53.3%)
- U.S. median 26.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,529
- Maine median near the median ($7,625)
- New England median 0.81× the median ($9,262)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $15,840
- Maine median 1.6× the median ($9,650)
- New England median 1.6× the median ($10,182)
- U.S. median 2.2× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Maine College of Art & Design at a glance
Maine College of Art & Design
Maine College of Art & Design is a private non-profit institution in Portland, ME, classified as Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting).
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects05.0041Journalism, Other
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian77.6%Hispanic or Latino7.2%Two or More Races7.2%
Schools near Maine College of Art & Design
Other campuses in Portland, ME when available, plus nearby institutions in Maine.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Maine, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maine College of Art & Design located?
Maine College of Art & Design is located in Portland, ME.
What is Maine College of Art & Design's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Maine College of Art & Design is 76.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 913 applicants and 708 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Maine College of Art & Design's tuition?
Maine College of Art & Design tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $42,942 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $38,338 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Maine College of Art & Design cost?
Reported tuition is $42,942 and average net price is $38,338 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $17,184 annually.
Why is Maine College of Art & Design's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Maine College of Art & Design, published tuition is $42,942 while average net price is $38,338—about 11% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Maine College of Art & Design's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($38,338), completion (51.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($40,778). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Maine College of Art & Design?
Maine College of Art & Design reports undergraduate enrollment of about 430 students, White (77.6%), Hispanic or Latino (7.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Maine College of Art & Design?
About 23.9% of students at Maine College of Art & Design are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Maine College of Art & Design earn?
Median earnings are $24,333 six years after entry and $40,778 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Maine College of Art & Design?
The 150%-time completion rate is 51.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Maine College of Art & Design students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Is Maine College of Art & Design public or private?
Maine College of Art & Design is a private nonprofit institution located in Portland, ME.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.