Maine Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide
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)


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.
Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Maine
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



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