Southern Maine Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in South Portland, Maine. It enrolls 5,675 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
54/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes18
Value52
Affordability41
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Southern Maine Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Southern Maine Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $11,086 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$11,086
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
12%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,156
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,036
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,974
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,098
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,078
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,466
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,531
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,654
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,090
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,666
$75,001 – $110,000
$12,946
Over $110,000
$14,660
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$10,331Medianpercentile
$12,33175%percentile
$21,52790%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $6,964
↓ $3,367
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,831
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,831
Independent students $8,000
↓ $2,331
Female students $6,250
↓ $4,081
Male students $5,750
↓ $4,581
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,331), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
24% of full-time students who enrolled at Southern Maine Community College graduate within six years, and 58% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
24%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
58%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Southern Maine Community College earn a median of $41,661 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,661
Earning > $25K
66%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$32,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,100, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
14.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 80% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Southern Maine Community College is home to 5,675 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 39% are first-generation college students, 50% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,675
Part-Time
50%
First-Generation
39%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 72.2%4,095
Black 12.4%703
Hispanic 5.0%284
Other 4.1%232
Asian 2.5%143
International 1.7%96
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southern Maine Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CitySouth Portland, Maine
Housing
Limited on-campus housing690 beds
Adult Learners
23%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Southern Maine Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
35 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southern Maine Community College is 19:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,685
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$2.1M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$70,902
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
107 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
38
36%
$75,613
Associate Professors
17
16%
$72,627
Assistant Professors
14
13%
$71,786
Instructors
38
36%
$65,092
Pros & Cons of Southern Maine Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Southern Maine Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Southern Maine Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Maine Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Southern Maine Community College.
Is Southern Maine Community College hard to get into?
Southern Maine Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Southern Maine Community College?
Southern Maine Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Southern Maine Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Southern Maine Community College is $11,086 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southern Maine Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,661 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $11,086 per year. That's roughly 3.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southern Maine Community College known for?
Southern Maine Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Southern Maine Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Southern Maine Community College are $41,661, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Southern Maine Community College accredited?
Yes. Southern Maine Community College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Southern Maine Community College?
Southern Maine Community College enrolls 5,675 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Maine Community College?
Southern Maine Community College graduates 24% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Southern Maine Community College a public or private college?
Southern Maine Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Southern Maine Community College located?
Southern Maine Community College is located in South Portland, Maine.
What programs does Southern Maine Community College offer?
Southern Maine Community College offers 35 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southern Maine Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southern Maine Community College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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