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University of Maine
Orono, ME 8,341 Undergrads 56.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,418
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,045
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,653
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,045
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$48,653
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -59575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -57575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2675th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$426k
+$30k
-$58k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$361k
-$35k
-$123k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$331k
-$65k
-$153k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-189%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-161%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-186%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-97%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,452
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,960
Lifetime Value Added
+$173
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$20,365
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,353
Earnings (5yr)
$62,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$88,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,975
Earnings (5yr)
$75,894
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,168
Earnings (5yr)
$55,948
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,173
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$26,411
Earnings (5yr)
$79,068
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,984
Earnings (2yr)
$45,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,066
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$25,528
Earnings (5yr)
$92,847
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$42,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$23,425
Earnings (5yr)
$66,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,498
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$24,486
Earnings (5yr)
$38,939
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,059
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$20,223
Earnings (5yr)
$49,255
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Marine Sciences
BachCIP: 3032
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,546
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$26,716
Earnings (5yr)
$76,868
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,073
Earnings (5yr)
$87,105
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$25,334
Earnings (5yr)
$57,652
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (5yr)
$59,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,274
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,342
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,976
Earnings (5yr)
$43,549
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,350
Earnings (2yr)
$26,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$288k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,251
Earnings (5yr)
$42,684
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$26,841
Earnings (5yr)
$41,873
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,507
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.