Maine’s Public Universities
Learn from anywhere.
Earn your degree online.
Seven NECHE-accredited universities. Hundreds of online courses and degrees. One of the most affordable public university systems in New England — built for working adults, place-bound learners, and anyone ready to move forward.
In the course search, set Instruction Mode → Online to filter for online-only sections.
Your education, on your schedule.
More than one-third of University of Maine System students are fully online — and more than two-thirds take at least some courses online. This isn’t a side offering. Online education is central to who we are.
Whether you’re a working professional in Portland, a parent in Presque Isle, a nurse in Fort Kent, or a student anywhere in the world, Maine’s Public Universities offer flexible, high-quality pathways to your degree.
Employers who hire online graduates pay the same starting salaries as on-campus graduates — an average of $64,291–$65,677 for bachelor’s degree holders, according to NACE 2024 data.
+2.3%
Enrollment Growth
Year-over-year, Fall 2025
Online education at scale — and growing.
These aren’t projections. These are verified figures from official UMS census reports, campus websites, and accredited third-party sources.
Fall 2025 official census
Est. start of Fall 2025
Fall 2024 official data
Over two decades
Spring 2025 — record high, +10.5%
Since Fall 2021 — fastest in UMS
Of year-over-year enrollment growth
Sources: UMS official census (Oct. 15, 2025), UMS press releases (Sept. 16 & Oct. 23, 2025), IPEDS data, and campus websites. Enrollment estimates noted where formal census data is pending.
Seven universities. One unified system.
Every campus in the University of Maine System is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) under a single unified accreditation — the first and only statewide public university system in the United States to achieve this model. Your online degree carries the full weight of that accreditation.
Programs with proven momentum.
| Campus | Program | Level | Enrolled | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UMPI | BS in Psychology — YourPace | Undergraduate | 400+ | Launched 2024; competency-based, $1,800/session flat rate |
| UMPI | MS in Business — YourPace | Graduate | 130+ | First-year enrollment; $2,450/session flat rate |
| USM | Master of Social Work | Graduate | 150 | +35% year-over-year; multiple start dates |
| UMF | MS in Education | Graduate | 181 | +41% year-over-year; fully online |
| UMaine | Doctor of Engineering | Doctoral | 30 | Inaugural cohort; first-of-its-kind online DEng |
| UMFK | Graduate Nursing (BSN/MSN/DNP) | Graduate | 160 | Grew from 24 students at 2022 launch |
| Campus | Program | Level | Enrolled | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UMPI | BS in Psychology — YourPace | Undergraduate | 400+ | Launched 2024; competency-based, $1,800/session flat rate |
| UMPI | MS in Business — YourPace | Graduate | 130+ | First-year enrollment; $2,450/session flat rate |
| USM | Master of Social Work | Graduate | 150 | +35% year-over-year; multiple start dates |
| UMF | MS in Education | Graduate | 181 | +41% year-over-year; fully online |
| UMFK | Graduate Nursing (BSN/MSN/DNP) | Graduate | 160 | Grew from 24 students at 2022 launch |
| Campus | Program | Level | Enrolled | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UMaine | Doctor of Engineering | Doctoral | 30 | Inaugural cohort; first-of-its-kind online DEng |
BS in Psychology — YourPace
Campus: UMPI
Level: Undergraduate
Enrolled: 400+
Notes: Launched 2024; competency-based, $1,800/session flat rate
MS in Business — YourPace
Campus: UMPI
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 130+
Notes: First-year enrollment; $2,450/session flat rate
Master of Social Work
Campus: USM
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 150
Notes: +35% year-over-year; multiple start dates
MS in Education
Campus: UMF
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 181
Notes: +41% year-over-year; fully online
Doctor of Engineering
Campus: UMaine
Level: Doctoral
Enrolled: 30
Notes: Inaugural cohort; first-of-its-kind online DEng
Graduate Nursing (BSN/MSN/DNP)
Campus: UMFK
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 160
Notes: Grew from 24 students at 2022 launch
BS in Psychology — YourPace
Campus: UMPI
Level: Undergraduate
Enrolled: 400+
Notes: Launched 2024; competency-based, $1,800/session flat rate
MS in Business — YourPace
Campus: UMPI
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 130+
Notes: First-year enrollment; $2,450/session flat rate
Master of Social Work
Campus: USM
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 150
Notes: +35% year-over-year; multiple start dates
MS in Education
Campus: UMF
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 181
Notes: +41% year-over-year; fully online
Graduate Nursing (BSN/MSN/DNP)
Campus: UMFK
Level: Graduate
Enrolled: 160
Notes: Grew from 24 students at 2022 launch
Doctor of Engineering
Campus: UMaine
Level: Doctoral
Enrolled: 30
Notes: Inaugural cohort; first-of-its-kind online DEng
UMS Strategic Plan Target: The University of Maine System’s current strategic plan calls for doubling fully online academic programs by 2028, with YourPace expanding to additional campuses and new programs launching across all seven universities.
Affordable by design. Accessible by mission.
The University of Maine System is one of the most affordable public university systems in New England. UMaine’s in-state credit hour rate is 40% less than the average at R1 flagship universities in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Out-of-state rates are 25% lower than peer R1 institutions.
UMPI YourPace Program
Competency-Based Learning — Flat-Rate Tuition
$1,800
Undergraduate
Per 8-week session
$2,450
Graduate
Per 8-week session
Each session covers an unlimited number of courses — move as fast as your knowledge allows. Six session start dates per year. UMPI is a member of the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN).
Note: YourPace flat-rate tuition applies exclusively to UMPI’s competency-based programs. Online courses at other UMS campuses are priced per credit hour at each campus’s standard rate.
How UMS compares to large online institutions
| Institution | Online Students | Approx. Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Western Governors University (Non-profit) | 183,000–185,000 | ~$9,555/yr avg. |
| Southern New Hampshire University (Non-profit) | 157,000–178,000 | $330/credit hr |
| University of Phoenix (For-profit) | 89,000–101,000 | ~$13,000/yr |
| Arizona State University (online) (Public R1) | 33,000+ | ~$13,000/yr in-state |
| University of Maine System (Public — NECHE) | 9,000+ (est.) | Per credit hr by campus; YourPace from $1,800/session |
Sources: IPEDS 2022–23 data via Research.com, CollegeTuitionCompare, and official institution websites (March 2026). Competitor enrollment figures reflect most recently available audited IPEDS cycle.
Important: UMS online tuition varies by campus and program. Most online courses are priced at each campus’s standard per-credit-hour rate. The YourPace flat-rate model is unique to UMPI. Contact individual campuses for current tuition rates for specific programs.
4,955
Maine High School Students earning free Early College credit through UMS in Fall 2025. Including these students brings the total credit-bearing student count to 30,825 — demonstrating UMS’s commitment to accessible education at every stage.
The only statewide public university system with unified accreditation.
In 2020, the University of Maine System became the first and only statewide public university system in the United States to transition to a unified accreditation model under the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
This means all seven universities operate under a single institutional accreditation — enabling seamless cross-campus collaboration, shared program delivery, and a consistent standard of academic excellence across every online degree you can earn through UMS.
NECHE Accredited
All 7 universities
Unified Model
First in the U.S.
R1 Research University
UMaine — reaffirmed 2025
C-BEN Member
UMPI YourPace program
Spotlight: Healthcare & Workforce Programs
Online nursing at UMFK has grown from 24 graduate students at launch in 2022 to 160 students by Fall 2025 — a 567% increase in three years. Programs are offered at the BSN, MSN, and DNP levels.
UMFK is also launching an online MS in Homeland Security — described at launch as among the most affordable Homeland Security master’s programs in the nation. Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by UMS shows occupations aligned with this field are growing five times faster than the national average, with 116,800 annual openings.
160
Graduate Nursing Students
UMFK Fall 2025
24
Students at Launch
UMFK 2022
BSN–DNP
Nursing Levels Offered
Fully online
116,800
Annual Job Openings
Homeland Security field (BLS)
Browse every online course available across all seven campuses.
The UMS Class Search lets you browse the full course catalog across all seven universities in one place. To see only online sections, use the Instruction Mode filter and select “Online.”
You can filter by campus, subject, term, and session — making it easy to find courses that fit your schedule, whether you’re looking for a single class or building a full semester of online coursework.
UMS Class Search
Search all courses across all seven campuses. Set Instruction Mode → Online to filter for fully online sections only.
How to find online courses
1
Open the UMS Class Search
Go to maine.edu/students/ums-class-search/guest/
2
Set Instruction Mode to “Online” Key Step
This filters results to show only fully online course sections.
3
Filter by campus, subject, or term
Narrow results to your preferred university, subject area, or semester.
4
Click a course to see full details
View credits, instructor, meeting times, and enrollment availability.
5
Contact the campus to enroll
Each campus has its own admissions and registration process.
Direct link to the class search:
Your future starts here — wherever “here” is.
Maine’s Public Universities offer flexible, affordable, accredited online degrees for every stage of life and career. Explore all seven campuses and find the program that fits your goals.
