For the 2022-23 school year, in-state tuition at Southern Maine Community College dropped by 2%, based on the most recent figures released, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Maine residents paid $3,797 to attend the two-year public college this year, a reduction of $77 from the $3,874 charged during the 2021-22 academic year.
Non-resident students were charged $6,677 in tuition for 2022-23, which is 75.8% higher than the rate for residents. This amount reflects a 1.1% decrease from the $6,754 tuition fee in 2021-22.
Approximately 93% of the undergraduate student body at the college are Maine residents, while about 7% come from other states.
Data indicates that 90% of full-time undergraduates who enrolled at Southern Maine Community College in 2022-23 received some form of financial aid. A total of 948 students obtained grants or scholarships amounting to $5.8 million, and 214 students took out loans exceeding $1 million.
Among all undergraduates, 3,117 students benefited from grants or scholarships totaling $18.2 million, while 758 students secured $3.7 million in federal student loans.
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.
The following data includes only full-time students who began an undergraduate program at the Southern Maine Community College in the 2022-23 school year.
| Type of Aid | Number of students awarded aid | Percent awarded aid | Total amount of aid awarded | Average amount of aid per student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal grants | 400 | 38% | $2.3 million | $5,786 |
| State / local grant or scholarship | 927 | 88% | $3.1 million | $3,337 |
| Institutional grants or scholarships | 334 | 32% | $414,274 | $1,240 |
| Grant or scholarship aid total | 948 | 90% | $5.8 million | $6,141 |
| Federal student loans | 206 | 20% | $918,529 | $4,459 |
| Other student loans | 19 | 2% | $99,627 | $5,244 |
| Student loan aid | 214 | 20% | $1 million | $4,758 |
| Total student aid | 950 | 90% | $6.8 million | $7,199 |
Information in this story was obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. The source data can be found here.
