Best Teaching Schools and Degrees in Maine

This guide to teacher preparation programs in Maine is designed to assist anyone interested in becoming a teacher in the state. There are many teaching schools in Maine that prepare aspiring teachers to work in a classroom. Choosing between the many options may be a daunting task, but we have compiled relevant information such as lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews to help with the process. Anyone wanting to obtain a teaching degree in Maine should be able to use this guide to find a qualified program that fits their individual career goals as an educator.

Quick Facts

There are 24 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Maine.¹
8 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*¹
15 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*¹
10 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*¹
4 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.²
1 school ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.³
1 school ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁴
3 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁵
3 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Maine

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

Bowdoin College (#23)
Colby College (#50)
Bates College (#54)
College of the Atlantic (#201)

*Institution-wide ranking.

Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020

University of Maine

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019

University of Maine-Orono (#127 tie)

US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019

University of Maine-Orono (#115 tie)
University of New England (#159 tie)
St. Joseph’s College (#228-299)

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Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in New Maine according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Maine Department of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.

State-Approved School	CAEP Accred.?⁶	NCTQ Undergrad Elementary Prog. % (2016)**⁷	NCTQ Undergrad Secondary Prog. % (2017)**⁷	Teacher Prep Prog. Enrollment⁸	Teacher Prep Prog. Completers⁸	Licensing Exams Pass Rate⁸	Net Price***¹
Bates College	No	—	—	—	5	—	$23,312
Bowdoin College	No	—	—	0	6	—	$24,447
Colby College	No	—	—	2	1	—	$20,361
College of the Atlantic	No	—	—	25	4	—	$17,213
Husson University	No	17%	—	55	18	100%	$19,429
Maine College of Art	No	—	—	13	11	100%	$30,796
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine	No	9%	3%	110	15	73%	$25,694
Thomas College	No	—	—	78	15	100%	$21,606
Unity College	No	—	—	6	1	—	$25,286
University of Maine-Farmington	Yes	—	40%	535	112	100%	$13,554
University of Maine-Fort Kent	No	2%	1%	—	—	—	$11,686
University of Maine-Machias	No	1%	1%	80	8	—	$10,257
University of Maine-Orono	Yes	—	—	463	89	98%	$17,564
University of Maine-Presque Isle	No	1%	11%	115	19	56%	$9,647
University of New England	No	41%	18%	84	15	100%	$33,204
University of Southern Maine	Yes	5%	20%	399	122	93%	$11,338

*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

University of Maine: The University of Maine serves as the home of the UM College of Education and Human Development. The College includes the departments of Literacy Education, Special Education, Counselor Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education and Instructional Technology. Students can choose from a variety of degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. One unique feature of the University of Maine College of Education is that all students majoring in Education are required to have a laptop on the first day of classes. Students need to have their laptops upon being certified for their major. The department strongly recommends Apple’s MacBookPro as the laptop of choice. Students can purchase the laptop at any retailer including Apple. Students can also purchase a discounted laptop from the campus’ Computer Connection at a discounted rate. UM faculty work closely with their students as the College focuses on keeping class sizes small.

University of Southern Maine: Located in Portland, ME, the University of Southern Maine offers students seven different degrees including over 30 program offerings in the fields of education and human development. Offerings are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College of Education has a rich history dating back to 1878 when it was known as the Gorham Normal School. Today, the College strives to train up the most innovative and passionate educators that will be able to take on the task of educating tomorrow’s leaders. The school is organized into three academic departments—Teacher Education, Professional Education, and Human Resource Development. Programs meet the highest standards set by the State of Maine and professional accrediting bodies. Faculty and staff constantly check the pulse of the educational needs of the region through research and collaborative partnerships. The goal is to always be on the cutting edge of education while modeling lifelong learning to students.

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School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Maine

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Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Maine

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Central Maine Community College*
1250 Turner St
Auburn, ME 04210-6498
(207) 755-5100
www.cmcc.edu

Eastern Maine Community College*
354 Hogan Rd
Bangor, ME 4401
(207) 974-4600

Husson University
One College Cir
Bangor, ME 04401-2999
(207) 941-7000

Kennebec Valley Community College*
92 Western Ave
Fairfield, ME 04937-1367
(207) 453-5000
www.kvcc.me.edu

Maine College of Art
522 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101-3494
(207) 775-3052
www.meca.edu

Thomas College
180 W River Rd
Waterville, ME 04901-5097
(207) 859-1111
www.thomas.edu

University of Maine
Orono, ME 4469
(207) 581-1110
www.umaine.edu

University of Maine at Farmington
224 Main St
Farmington, ME 04938-9978
(207) 778-7000

Student Review: “The University of Maine Farmington has provided me with critical knowledge that I feel is vital to my students in my future classroom. The small class sizes and genuine care and concern shown by every professor have made the experience feel personal and supported. From the technology in the classroom course to the individual methods courses, the degree program prepares students for all aspects of teaching. Unlike other programs, UMF offers students multiple opportunities to observe and participate in a classroom setting. Second-year students complete a practicum experience in an elementary school before the student teaching experience in the final year. The amount of preparation, support, and insight provided by the University of Maine in Farmington makes the degree I will earn priceless. As a state Liberal Arts College, the tuition is affordable, the area is beautiful, and I couldn’t be happier.” -Sarah M., student at The University of Maine Farmington

Student Review: “The University of Maine at Farmington is a wonderful school to attend if one is serious about being a teacher. The faculty there are all friendly and knowledgeable and a great percentage of them hold doctorate degrees. The classes are small so one really gets to focus on the material without a lot of distraction. As far as I know, UMF is the only school to throw their education students into schools so early. My first semester, I was mentoring at the local middle school, which I greatly enjoyed. UMF is definitely the school for me.” -Nicholas L., student at University of Maine at Farmington

Student Review: “I thought that Farmington had a really great education program. I went there originally for the small class size, which really freed the professors up for more one-on-one time with the students. There were things that I did not like, such as the way the PRAXIS tests and schedules are set up, as well as some of the stupid things they make you learn that no one will ever use (similar to high school). I also did not like the computer system they utilized; it always seemed to be crashing. Other than a few little things, I overall enjoyed my experience at UMF and would advise anyone who wants a relaxed learning environment, friendly staff, constant exciting events, and great food (with no Greek system) to give University of Maine Farmington a try!” -Student at the University of Maine at Farmington

University of Maine at Presque Isle
181 Main St
Presque Isle, ME 04769-2888
(207) 768-9400

University of New England
11 Hills Beach Rd
Biddeford, ME 4005
(207) 283-0171
www.une.edu

University of Southern Maine
96 Falmouth St
Portland, ME 4103
(207) 780-4141
www.usm.maine.edu

Washington County Community College*
One College Dr
Calais, ME 4619
(207) 454-1000
www.wccc.me.edu

An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx

Maine Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide