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College of the Atlantic
College of the Atlantic says yes to 70.2% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $40,264 median earnings.
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College of the Atlantic anchors the college town of Bar Harbor, ME, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 21.5% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
28.1% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 353 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 85% of first-years come back for a second year.
College of the Atlantic won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, College of the Atlantic received 446 applications and admitted 290 (65%), with 81 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. College of the Atlantic's 70.2% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How College of the Atlantic compares
| College of the Atlantic | Maine median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 70.2% | 81% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $47,997 | $23,304 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $40,264 | $48,653 | $53,781 |
At $40,264, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($48,653). Look at College of the Atlantic's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $47,997 regardless of where you're from. At College of the Atlantic, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
Enrollment sits at 353 — College of the Atlantic is one of the smaller campuses on this site.
68.3% graduate within six years. Roughly 32% don't — ask a College of the Atlantic tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for College of the Atlantic?
College of the Atlantic doesn't look at test scores; its 70.2% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is College of the Atlantic's acceptance rate?
65% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 290 admitted from 446 applicants.
How much does College of the Atlantic cost?
At College of the Atlantic, published tuition is $47,997 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is College of the Atlantic's ceiling, not a quote.
What do College of the Atlantic graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $40,264 ten years after enrolling.
Similar colleges in Maine
- Maine College of Health Professions — 71.4% admitted
- Maine College of Art & Design — 76.1% admitted
- Saint Joseph's College of Maine — 83.5% admitted
- University of Southern Maine — 79.2% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.