Jacqueline Edmondson Ph.D. President | University of Southern Maine
Jacqueline Edmondson Ph.D. President | University of Southern Maine
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.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Technical Institute | 167 | $996,615 | $5,968 | 131 | $784,338 | $5,987 |
| Empire Beauty School-Maine | 35 | $171,222 | $4,892 | 42 | $290,431 | $6,915 |
| Bowdoin College | 263 | $15,064,540 | $57,280 | 54 | $767,749 | $14,218 |
| Saint Joseph's College of Maine | 199 | $5,950,126 | $29,900 | 152 | $2,005,787 | $13,196 |
| Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook | 31 | $157,965 | $5,096 | 38 | $259,029 | $6,817 |
| Unity Environmental University | 289 | $957,645 | $3,314 | 317 | $1,439,193 | $4,540 |
| Maine College of Art & Design | 96 | $1,913,821 | $19,936 | 67 | $980,279 | $14,631 |
| Southern Maine Community College | 948 | $5,821,543 | $6,141 | 214 | $1,018,156 | $4,758 |
| University of Southern Maine | 694 | $7,049,727 | $10,158 | 363 | $2,539,883 | $6,997 |
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