Average cost of college went up for students in Cumberland County in 2022-23 school year

College tuition fees rose 3.3% in Cumberland County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Data shows that students paid $17,401 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $558 more than the previous school year.

Among the nine institutions in the county, Bowdoin College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $61,528. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine followed with an average of $41,586 per year. Southern Maine Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $3,999.

At the time, a total of $38.1 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Cumberland County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $10.1 million.

Currently there are nine higher education institutions in Cumberland County, including Bowdoin College, Maine College of Art & Design, and University of Southern Maine.

Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.

According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.

Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.

Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.