University of Maine: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Orono, Maine · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of Maine is a public institution located in Orono, Maine. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Maine admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 96%. Admitted students typically post an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,045 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Maine is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Maine?
University of Maine has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of Maine weight in admissions?
University of Maine reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Standardized test scores
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Maine typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
| 25th percentile | 1060 |
| 50th percentile | 1190 |
| 75th percentile | 1280 |
| % submitting SAT | 16% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 26 |
| 75th percentile | 30 |
| % submitting ACT | 2% |
- • Test-blind: University of Maine does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if submitted.
- • Policy detail: Not considered
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 18% |
| Top 25% of class | 43% |
| Top 50% of class | 76% |
| % submitting class rank | 49% |
How much does University of Maine actually cost?
Published tuition is $12,606 for in-state students and $35,346 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,696 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $18,045 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $18,045 |
| Application fee | — |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Maine
| Notification date | Rolling beginning Oct 1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 or within 2 weeks if notified thereafter |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Maine?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Maine parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Maine
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Maine recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Maine
What GPA do I need for University of Maine?
University of Maine has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Maine typically admit?
University of Maine does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Test-optional policies have made scores less universally required, but submitting strong scores still helps when available.
How much does University of Maine actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Maine after grants and scholarships is $18,045 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Maine realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Maine is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Maine, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.