Understanding University of Maine Tuition for Massachusetts Residents

Planning for college expenses is a crucial part of the application process. The University of Maine (UMaine) offers various programs and financial aid options to make education accessible. This article breaks down the costs associated with attending UMaine, particularly for Massachusetts residents, and explores available financial aid opportunities. Knowing what a school costs is Step #1 in managing college costs. The "Cost of Attendance" is the total amount of money the average student has to pay, WITHOUT any financial aid, to attend a particular school. Think of it as a school’s sticker price.

Cost of Attendance: In-State vs. Out-of-State

The cost to attend the University includes tuition and fees, as well as other costs such as housing, meals, and books. The Cost of Attendance breakdown for University of Maine differs depending on whether you’re in-state or out-of-state student - in-state students can expect lower costs for tuition and fees. For the average student, understanding the sticker price, or Cost of Attendance, is the first step.

As an out-of-state public institution, specifically for Massachusetts residents without the Flagship Match Program, the cost would be significantly higher than for Maine residents.

Flagship Match Program

The University of Maine is drastically cutting tuition for out-of-state students in the Northeast, in an effort to spark some interest in the state’s flagship school. As part of its Flagship Match Program, qualifying students from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania would be able to attend UMaine and pay the same tuition and fees as their flagship state school back home. A student from Massachusetts will be able attend UMaine for $14,141, the in-state price charged at UMass Amherst, rather than UMaine’s out-of-state rate of $28,880.

Standard Tuition Rates

Sticker Price In-State Tuition $12,720 per year. Out-of-State Tuition $36,870 per year.

Additional Expenses

Beyond tuition, students should also budget for other costs:

Books and Supplies: $1,000 per year
Personal Expenses: $1,100 per year
Transportation: $2,270 per year

Mandatory Fees

There are mandatory fees that are charged per credit hour. Tuition is charged per credit hour. The tuition and fees on this page are based on full-time enrollment of 30 credit hours per year, which means taking roughly 10 courses. Several mandatory fees contribute to the overall cost:

Activity Fee: This is a student-approved mandatory fee that is administered by the students for educational, cultural, social, and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure & Technology Fee: All students are charged an Infrastructure & Technology Fee of $28 per credit hour for the 2025/2026 Academic Year.
Online Fee: A fee of $25 per credit hour will be charged for all online courses. The Online Fee supports and enhances the quality of online programming and the student learning experience. Supported student services include, but are not limited to: online orientation, online tutoring, online proctoring, online library resources, universal design, and online advising support.
AMP Course Materials Fee: Digital textbooks are provided for selected courses to bring UM students competitively priced course material. The cost is charged to the student’s account as a separate charge. The content can be accessed on the first day of class through the student’s Brightspace account. A student can opt-out at that time, and the fee will be reversed.
First Year Residential Experience Fee: A one-time fee of $50.00 is assessed to all first year residential students taking any credit hours on the University of Maine campus or taking courses changed from on-campus to remote or hybrid delivery due to COVID-19. The First Year Residential Experience environment requires cutting-edge programming. The goals of the First Year Residential Experience fall into three broad categories: academic achievement, social integration, and student development.
Math Placement Exam Fee: The University of Maine requires an ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (ALEKS PPL) Assessment to determine readiness for mathematics courses. ALEKS PPL is a web-based program that uses artificial intelligence to map a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Students will be billed $25 for using the ALEKS Placement Assessment. This fee appears on their student account, viewable on MaineStreet, as a Math Placement Exam fee. This small fee covers three possible attempts and access to one Prep and Learning Module.

Differential Tuition

In the 2025-2026 academic year, the University will begin charging differential tuition for in-person and blended programs. This means that tuition will differ depending on your major.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Financial aid can include grants, loans, scholarships and work-study jobs. Financial aid packages vary depending on your financial need. Most colleges determine financial need based on your FAFSA. Understanding the types of financial aid available is essential for managing college costs. Financial aid can come in the form of grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study jobs.Financial aid packages vary depending on your financial need. Most colleges determine financial need based on your FAFSA.

Key Financial Aid Statistics

Students Receiving Financial Aid: 55.3%
Average Aid Package: $19,615
Freshmen With Need and Received Financial Aid: 98.73%
Average Aid Packages Awarded: $19,615
Need-Based Scholarship or Grant Award: $12,917
Need-Based Loan Amount: $4,122
Debt at Graduation: $34,784

Grants and Scholarships

We’re focusing on grants and scholarships first because they’re the most important forms of financial aid. Grants and scholarships are better than loans because students don’t ever have to pay them back. Although it’s useful to know how many students get grant aid, it’s also important to know how much grant aid people tend to receive. So how much grant money do students at University of Maine tend to receive? Altogether, this is great news - at University of Maine, MORE students get financial aid, and each award size is HIGHER. The grant dollar amounts we’ve seen so far have included aid from all sources - both federal and institutional.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Grants and scholarships don’t need to be paid back.$12,917

Loans

Aside from grants, the other major way to pay for college is with student loans. The more student loan money you borrow, the more debt you’ll end up with after graduation. Ideally, you want to minimize your student debt as much as possible. It’s generally a bad sign if a school has many students taking out a lot of loans. First, let’s talk about how many students at University of Maine actually have to take out any student loans at all. It’s very common for college grads in the US to graduate with some debt, but high percentages of students taking on loans at a particular school is a big red flag. High numbers of students with loans is a red flag, and University of Maine is above average. To break this down further, we have to understand how much actual debt the average person takes out while in school. We’ll start with federal loans because, in general, federal loans are preferable to private loans. Federal loans tend to have low interest rates, which means they cost less in the long run. High percentages or amounts of federal loans still isn’t a great sign - again, you don’t want to see students burdened with too much debt. At University of Maine, 72% of all students take out federal loans. At University of Maine, the average annual federal loan amount is $7141. Other loans, or private loans, are the last resource students turn to when paying for college. At University of Maine, 16% of students take out private loans. Just as important as the percentage of students with private loans is the average loan amount. The average private loan amount at University of Maine is $10447. The percentage of students getting federal loans is greater than those getting private loans, which is a good sign.

Loans must be paid back.$4,122

Application Deadlines

Financial Aid Dates Application Due May 1 The last day to apply for financial aid or turn in related paperwork. Priority Application Due Not available Applications received prior to this date will be given the strongest consideration. Still apply for financial aid if you don’t make this due date. Notification Date Not available When students receive a letter with the amount and types of aid the college is offering. Response Due Not available The deadline for students to respond to the college’s aid offer.

Financial Aid Application Due: May 1
Priority Application Due: Not available

Net Price and Affordability

Finally, we get to the bottom line: what will University of Maine actually cost YOU? Above, we've covered University of Maine's Cost of Attendance (tuition, room and board, books, and more). The Net Price is the total cost minus the total aid given. In other words, this is the price you have to pay to the school out of pocket. We'll cover two ways to get your Net Price for University of Maine - the fast way, and the precise way. If you want a quick, general idea of your annual Net Price at University of Maine, here's a handy chart showing the net price of real students. Most schools have an updated Net Price calculator available. Once you have a Net Price estimate, you’ll want to figure out whether your family can afford to pay University of Maine tuition and costs. Once again, the Net Price is the total cost of attending, minus the aid you can expect to get (grants and scholarships). The US government has come up with a standardized way to calculate how much a typical family can afford to pay without help. As an example, a family that brings home $80,000 in income before taxes, with no assets and no other children in college, has an EFC of around $7,000. Colleges use this number as a guideline to decide how much aid to give you, but it's just a guideline. So we're going to calculate your EFC and compare it to University of Maine's Net Price. If the Net Price is higher than the EFC, the school will cost more than you can typically afford.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Average Net Price

Average Net Price$17,146 per year Your net price is a college’s cost of attendance minus the grants and scholarships you receive. The net price you pay for a particular college is specific to you because it’s based on your personal circumstances and the college’s financial aid policies. Use the college’s Net Price calculator for the most accurate estimate of your net price.

Average Net Price: $17,146 per year

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

This tool will calculate your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. In order to calculate this amount, we need just 4 pieces of information from you. According to the information you’ve entered above, your Expected Family Contribution should be about $. This is the amount that the federal government thinks you can afford to pay for school. Please note this tool is only an approximation, and your personal situation may cause your EFC to vary.

Additional Financial Resources

Tuition Guarantee Plans

Tuition at time of first enrollment guaranteed only to students making advance payment.

New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE)

*New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) rates apply to residents of New England states enrolled in eligible programs. The New England Board of Higher Education’s Regional Student Program permits qualified residents of the New England states to study with reduced tuition in specified programs at New England public institutions of higher education. The programs are offered by public colleges and universities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont - all at a substantial tuition discount. The Flexible Programs Policy option is another way for students to be eligible through NEBHE’s Tuition Break, the Regional Student Program (RSP), at certain colleges and universities. The Flexible option, which was approved in 2018 for enrollment starting in the 2019-20 academic year, allows four-year institutions to offer any program to residents of other New England states.

Additional Fees and Policies

Late Payment Fee: If financial aid, a waiver, or a graduate assistantship has been awarded but is not shown on the bill, if an installment plan has been completed but is not shown on the bill, or if your bill is to be paid in part or in whole by your employer or another agency, and is not shown on the bill, such information must be entered in the Anticipated Resources area of Student Self-Service on MaineStreet (Path: Student Self-Service / Self Service / Campus Finances /Anticipated Resources).
Direct Deposit: Students can enroll in direct deposit for refunds. Instructions are available here.
Multi-Campus Students: Students enrolled at other University of Maine campuses should check specific tuition, fees, and refund policies for those locations.
1098-T Forms: Provided annually in January for tax reporting. Access instructions are available through the Student Center Portal.
Changes to charges may occur due to university financial requirements, state actions, or other factors. By registering, students agree to these terms.
Fee Adjustments: Charges may change due to university needs, costs, or state actions. By registering, students agree to these terms.
Tuition, fees, and costs are reviewed annually and may change before classes begin. For additional information, please click here.
Program-Required Insurance: must maintain active insurance. Contact your program department for details.
Financial aid book vouchers are only available for eligible students.
Third Party book vouchers are available if a student has a third party payer who submits a purchase order stipulating that the third party will cover up to a maximum amount for books and supplies.
Inclusive Access refers to digital packages of course materials that are related to specific courses. The materials are all digital and are sold at a discounted price. These materials are available for courses that are Inclusive Access eligible. Please, look to receive a link to “opt-in,” to purchase Inclusive Access materials the week prior to the start of classes if you are enrolled in an Inclusive Access eligible course. The IA Guide outlines steps for students if they are in an Inclusive Access course.
Approved course fees are hereby listed in their entirety for the 2026 Academic Year; not all courses may be offered during the current term. Course fees are applied to specific courses to assist with covering extraordinary costs associated with offering that course. Course fee amounts represent the flat fees charged per course, unless otherwise indicated. Course fees are not subject to reimbursement after the add/drop period.

Comparing Value and Alternatives

Chances are, college won't be cheap. Have you considered a range of private and public schools? What if you didn't attend college at all? Here's our take: college will be a really important stage in your development. Going to a better, more reputable college will usually pay off in the long run. To determine the value of University of Maine, we're going to rely on reputable ranking lists. As a regional school, University of Maine may not be a household name nationwide, but it's known to people in the local area as a solid school. Compared to some other regional schools, University of Maine didn't appear on our best value lists. This might be because the net price is higher than for other schools of similar reputation. This isn't the end of the world - you can likely still afford University of Maine by taking out loans, earning scholarships, or working part-time. Overall, University of Maine is a decent value, and going to college here will likely pay off over time. To meet University of Maine's admission requirements, you'll need to have competitive SAT/ACT scores and a good GPA. How do you compare to other students accepted to University of Maine? Your next step should be to get a better idea of costs and aid availability at similar schools. If you’re interested in University of Maine, you should check out some other high-value schools that could give you more bang for your buck. Get started here to check both in-state and out-of-state schools that might provide a better value. Finally, we're going to look at schools that might offer a better value than University of Maine. To compile this list, we first find schools at similar academic levels, so you have a similar chance at getting in. It’s hard to know exactly what schools will be a great value for you without information on your family income.

Alternatives and Additional Options

UMA offers limited, affordable housing to full-time students attending the Augusta Campus. Located in Hallowell, just over the Augusta city line, the historic Stevens, Erskine, and Cleveland Halls are renovated and preserved buildings, set high on a hill facing the Kennebec River. UMA offers a choice of the meal plans below.

We’re committed to ensuring a UMF education is accessible to everyone, no matter their financial status. That’s why we award financial aid to nearly every one of our students, with much of that in the form of scholarships and grants. you and your family to plan for your educational expenses. That’s the potential scholarship amount over four years for Maine residents. The financial aid office is very helpful, supportive, and friendly to everyone who walks in. My freshman year I walked into the financial aid office to talk about my scholarships and left with a work study job along with all my questions answered. When it comes to financing your education, you have options at UMF, including numerous scholarships and aid based on veteran’s service and Native American status. Whether for tuition or unexpected expenses, there are numerous student loan options you can consider.

UMaine Placement and Reputation

More Massachusetts students attend University of New Hampshire-Durham than any other out-of-state school, according to 2013 data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Rounding out the top five is the University of Rhode Island, University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, Johnson & Wales University, and Roger Williams University. UMaine placed 11th, with 22o members of Massachusetts’ Class of 2013 packing their bags for scenic Orono-the least of New England’s state school.

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