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University of Southern Maine
Most applicants get into University of Southern Maine — 79.2% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
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University of Southern Maine sits in Portland proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Mechanical Engineering, where graduates median $88,515 four years out. Faculty pay averages $125,040 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. Most of its 4,222 undergraduates commute — campus empties by evening — yet 73.9% of first-years return, which says something about what daytime here is worth.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 995 and 1280 — near the ME middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of Southern Maine's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
University of Southern Maine requires SAT or ACT scores from all applicants — the middle 50% ranges below describe University of Southern Maine's full admitted class, not a self-selected subset.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 505 | 560 | 640 |
| SAT Math | 490 | 560 | 640 |
| ACT Composite | 23 | 25 | 26 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Southern Maine received 5,823 applications and admitted 4,618 (79.3%), with 718 enrolling.
How University of Southern Maine compares
| University of Southern Maine | Maine median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 79.2% | 81% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,284 | $23,304 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $49,958 | $48,653 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Southern Maine student earns $49,958 — 3% above the Maine median of $48,653 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of Southern Maine prices by residency: $11,284 in-state versus $27,944 out-of-state — a $16,660 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
University of Southern Maine enrolls 4,222 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs University of Southern Maine's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
40.4% graduate within six years. Roughly 60% don't — ask a University of Southern Maine tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at University of Southern Maine
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,515 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $79,352 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $77,734 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $75,465 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $73,068 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $71,945 |
| Political Science and Government | $65,836 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $65,230 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $60,665 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $60,086 |
| Criminology | $59,270 |
| Biology, General | $58,164 |
| Marketing | $57,968 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $57,790 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $55,435 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $53,033 |
| Social Work | $52,903 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $48,909 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $47,748 |
| Psychology, General | $45,529 |
| Social Sciences, Other | $45,523 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $43,823 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $43,514 |
| History | $42,778 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $33,005 |
Median earnings for these 25 University of Southern Maine programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $49,958 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 28 additional University of Southern Maine programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Southern Maine?
Among the admitted class, the middle 50% scored 995–1280 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 79.2% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of Southern Maine's acceptance rate?
79.3% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 4,618 admitted from 5,823 applicants.
How much does University of Southern Maine cost?
In-state tuition is $11,284; out-of-state students pay $27,944. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of Southern Maine graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $49,958 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Maine
- Saint Joseph's College of Maine — 83.5% admitted
- Maine College of Art & Design — 76.1% admitted
- Maine College of Health Professions — 71.4% admitted
- College of the Atlantic — 70.2% 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.