Public
Accredited · New England Commission on Higher Education
Orono, Maine
95.7% Acceptance Rate
University of Maine — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
95.7%Acceptance Rate
3.42Avg GPA
1200Avg SAT
$26,418Annual Cost
$48,653Grad Salary
22%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
95.7%
Avg GPA
3.42
Avg SAT
1200
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1160–1230
Avg Net Price
$18,045
Need-Based Aid
22% receive Pell
University of Maine is the state's flagship public research institution, recognized for its comprehensive academic offerings, strong research initiatives, and commitment to the local community. Admissions are selective, focusing on academic rigor and a student's demonstrated readiness for a challenging university experience. The university seeks intellectually ambitious students who are prepared to engage in a wide array of research and professional opportunities within a large, supportive, and active campus.
When applying, prospective students should emphasize their success in advanced core courses and their involvement in extracurricular activities that showcase their intellectual curiosity or leadership potential. The university values applicants who are proactive and eager to take advantage of its vast resources, from engineering to the liberal arts. Clearly articulating how one??s professional goals align with the university??s commitment to research and innovation is a key strategy for a competitive application.
University of Maine Acceptance Rate
Admission at University of Maine is inclusive by design. 95.7% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 95.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.42 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.22 – 3.41
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.97
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
University of Maine Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Mark February 1 for University of Maine (Regular Decision — other plans are listed below).
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 172 days left — Regular Decision
Regular Decision
February 1
Early Action
December 1
Decision by: January 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (December 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
University of Maine GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at University of Maine is 3.42. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.12–3.42 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.62–3.82.University of Maine GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective, with solid academic performance as the expectation.
Recommended Strategy: A clear, defined strength in one activity or research area matters more than breadth.
This range is a rough map. Where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application.:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.42 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.22 – 3.41
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.02 – 3.21
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.01
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Flagship public university of the University of Maine System, located in Orono, ME; test-optional across all programs; no application fee for first-year applicants.
- Average admitted freshman GPA reported around 3.42; roughly 78% of enrolled freshmen are in the top half of their high school class.
- Common App and the Maine-specific "ApplyMaine" application are both accepted; no personal essay or letter of recommendation required for general first-year admission (Nursing excepted).
- UMaine's regional campus at Machias is referenced as part of the same competitive admission review - worth clarifying with a family whether they mean the Orono flagship or the Machias campus specifically, since program offerings differ significantly.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself. A 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average. The trajectory tells its own story.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at University of Maine
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from University of Maine's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
University of Maine Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at University of Maine. Landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into University of Maine Without SAT or ACT?
University of Maine neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average. Otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
University of Maine Average SAT Score: 1200
Admitted students at University of Maine average a 1200 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1200 — Slightly Competitive
A 1200 average tracks near the middle of the national distribution.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1230 SAT) to stand out. Below average? University of Maine allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 1160? A retake is worth it at University of Maine. Two or three sittings is standard for competitive applicants, and there's no cap on how many times you can test.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1200 | 1160 | 1230 |
A score under 1160 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1230+ puts you ahead of three-quarters of the admitted class. (These percentiles mark where a given share of the admitted class scored at or below.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1200
Can I get into University of Maine with a 1250 SAT?
At 1250, your SAT is squarely in University of Maine's favor. That said, admissions staff read the full file. GPA, activities, and essays still carry real weight even with a strong score in hand.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for University of Maine
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
University of Maine provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about using available resources well and planning your longer-term academic or career path.
Treat the Flagship Match Scholarship as a financial-aid override, not a standard merit award - check it before any other aid plan
UMaine's Flagship Match Scholarship lets eligible out-of-state students from specified partner states attend UMaine at the SAME cost as their own state's public flagship university - meaning a student from a high-cost-of-attendance home state could pay dramatically less at UMaine than at their in-state flagship, simply by qualifying for the match. The award covers 100% of tuition and mandatory fees (up to 30 credits/year) and renews for four years as long as a 3.3 GPA is maintained. Because eligibility is tied to a specific, named list of partner states that can change, the FIRST action for any out-of-state family considering UMaine should be confirming current eligibility against UMaine's published state list - this single fact can flip UMaine from "expensive out-of-state option" to "cheaper than home-state flagship" and should reorder a family's entire college list and budget conversation.
Stack the Flagship Scholars Commitment with the Early Action Award for the maximum out-of-state merit package
Separately from Flagship Match, UMaine's Flagship Scholars Commitment Program awards admissions-based merit scholarships automatically (no extra application) to out-of-state students based purely on GPA and curriculum rigor, with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA floor to qualify at all. Critically, students who apply Early Action can layer an ADDITIONAL $3,000-$5,000 "Early Action Award" on top of the base merit scholarship - and the maximum possible award requires a complete application by Dec. 1, 2025. This is a pure timing lever: a financially-identical student who applies in February instead of by December 1 leaves real money on the table with no academic difference in their file.
Route Nursing applicants to the program-specific essay portal immediately - it is not part of the general application
UMaine is test-optional and famously has NO required general personal essay for first-year admission - but Nursing applicants are a named exception, required to submit written responses to specific nursing essay prompts at a separate dedicated URL (go.umaine.edu/nursing-application-essay-fyr for first-year applicants). A family told "UMaine doesn't require an essay" and a student applying to Nursing specifically can easily miss this carve-out since it lives outside the main Common App/ApplyMaine flow. Confirm intended major BEFORE telling a family UMaine is essay-free, and if Nursing is even a possibility, have the student draft this response well ahead of the general application timeline.
File FAFSA by March 1 specifically to maximize aid stacking, even though it's not required for merit scholarships
UMaine explicitly states that filing a FAFSA is NOT required to receive merit-based scholarships at the time of admission - but it IS the mechanism for accessing the broader pool of need-based aid that can stack on top of merit awards. Families sometimes skip FAFSA reasoning "we won't qualify for need-based aid anyway" without realizing merit scholarships are awarded independently and FAFSA filing by the March 1 deadline is purely upside with no downside - there's no scenario where filing FAFSA costs a student anything in this system.
Expert Insight:
UMaine's reputation as a "safety/match school" with a relatively high acceptance rate can cause families to under-invest in the application timeline - but because Flagship Match, Flagship Scholars Commitment, and the Early Action Award are ALL tied to specific calendar deadlines (Dec. 1 for maximum merit consideration, March 1 for regular decision and FAFSA priority), a technically-admissible student who applies late in the cycle can still lose thousands of dollars in available aid even though their admission itself was never at risk. The real competitive pressure at UMaine isn't admission - it's the scholarship calendar.
University of Maine Profile
Full Name
University of Maine
City
Orono
State
Maine
ZIP Code
4469
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
Is a University of Maine Degree Worth It?
At $26,418/year against a $48,653 median graduate salary, University of Maine is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation. The numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $54,900, and graduates see a 3.14% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from University of Maine Cost?
Listed tuition runs $26,418/year at University of Maine. Factor in Pell and federal grant aid, and most students land closer to $18,045.
At University of Maine, 22% receive a Pell Grant and 42.8% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming University of Maine on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a University of Maine Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, University of Maine graduates report a median income of $48,653, about 20% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of Maine. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1182 | 25 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 1150 | 24 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | 1184 | 24 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of Maine. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of Maine. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
Degree Programs at University of Maine
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About University of Maine Admissions
University of Maine graduates earn a lower median salary of $48,653/year, especially outside technical fields.
Tuition at University of Maine is relatively affordable, around $26,418/year.
22.0% receive a Pell Grant here, below the ~35% national average. University of Maine skews toward higher-income students, though merit aid may still be worth checking.
University of Maine's acceptance rate is 95.7%, comparatively higher than most selective universities. Admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted University of Maine students is 3.42, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 3.12 puts you in the standard applicant pool at University of Maine. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 3.02 or below makes admission tougher at University of Maine, but strong test scores, activities, and essays, plus AP/IB coursework, can still keep you in contention.
University of Maine weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 1200, and within the 1160–1230 range, keeps you competitive.
University of Maine's deadline is February 1 (Regular Decision).
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before December 1, 2026. That's University of Maine's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out, plus a solid test score where the school considers one.