The Best Business Administration Programs in Maine for 2026
The best business administration programs in Maine range from a $7,800-a-year public option to a $44,120-a-year private college, and picking the wrong one can cost you tens of thousands of dollars without moving your career any further. This ranking scores 7 programs across the state on graduation rate, admission selectivity, cost, and outcomes data pulled from IPEDS, the same federal source colleges themselves report to. The average graduation rate across these seven programs is 52%, which tells you upfront that finishing on time is not guaranteed anywhere, public or private.
If cost is your main constraint, University of Maine at Presque Isle is the strongest low-cost pick among the best business administration programs in Maine: $7,800 in-state tuition, a 52% graduation rate, and a Hakia Score of 65.4, well ahead of the other public school charging the same price. This guide breaks down what a business administration degree actually costs, what accreditation to look for, and where a BBA leads after graduation, so you can compare programs on more than sticker price.
Key Takeaways on the Best Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Maine
- 7 business programs in Maine made this ranking, scored on graduation rate, selectivity, cost, and outcomes using IPEDS data.
- In-state tuition among the ranked programs spans $7,800 to $44,120 a year; University of Maine at Presque Isle and University of Maine at Augusta both charge the $7,800 floor.
- The average graduation rate is 52%, from a low of 27% at University of Maine at Augusta to a high of 68% at University of New England.
- Husson University ranks #1 with a Hakia Score of 76.1, a 59% graduation rate, and $22,072 in-state tuition, about half the cost of the priciest ranked private school.
- Nationally, business and management occupations carry a median wage of $105,770 a year, per BLS data, the same benchmark that applies no matter which business administration degree you choose.
- The seven schools split 3 public and 4 private nonprofit: public tuition ranges $7,800 to $9,180, private nonprofit tuition ranges $22,072 to $44,120.
Hakia Score ranks business programs on four weighted factors: graduation rate, admission selectivity, net cost, and post-graduation outcomes, all pulled from IPEDS, the U.S. Department of Education's official higher-education database, cross-referenced against BLS wage data for the business and management fields these programs feed into.
The 7 Best Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Maine, Ranked for 2026
| # | Program | Type | In-state tuition | Grad rate | Admit rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Husson UniversityBangor, ME · online option | Nonprofit | $22,072 | 59% | 81% | 76.1 |
| 2 | Saint Joseph's College of MaineStandish, ME · online option | Nonprofit | $44,120 | 66% | 84% | 74.3 |
| 3 | University of Southern MainePortland, ME | Public | $9,180 | 40% | 79% | 73.0 |
| 4 | University of New EnglandBiddeford, ME | Nonprofit | $42,650 | 68% | 92% | 72.4 |
| 5 | University of Maine at Presque IslePresque Isle, ME | Public | $7,800 | 52% | 100% | 65.4 |
| 6 | Thomas CollegeWaterville, ME | Nonprofit | $30,718 | 54% | 96% | 63.4 |
| 7 | University of Maine at AugustaAugusta, ME · online option | Public | $7,800 | 27% | NR | 60.8 |
NR — not reported by the institution in the latest IPEDS collection.
The Top Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Maine at a Glance
Each program scores 0 to 100 on the Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. Longer bars rank higher.
Inside the Top Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Maine
Husson University
Bangor, ME · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 59%
- Admit rate
- 81%
- In-state
- $22,072
- Out-of-state
- $22,072
Husson charges the same $22,072 tuition to every student, in state or out, and lets accelerated students stack a full MBA onto their BSBA in as little as five years.
- Hakia Score 76.1, #1 in Maine
- $22,072 flat tuition, in state or out
- 59% graduation rate
- Dual BSBA/MBA in as little as 5 years
Husson's School of Business and Management runs a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration built around a broad, IACBE-accredited foundation with three specialized tracks layered on top: Small Business Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, and Experience Management, the school's name for its hospitality, tourism, and event-management concentration. Students who want to move faster can enter the dual BSBA/MBA path and finish both degrees in as little as five years.
Husson ranks #1 in Maine on the Hakia Score, 76.1, built on an 81% admit rate, a 59% graduation rate, and a flat $22,072 tuition charged to every student, in state or out, across an enrollment of 3,367. That flat rate matters most for students recruiting from outside Maine, since Husson charges them the same price as residents rather than the two-to-three times markup common at public schools. The school cites BLS projections of 942,500 annual openings in business and financial occupations through 2034, with a median salary over $80,000 in 2024 and finance and management-analysis roles clearing $100,000.
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 66%
- Admit rate
- 84%
- In-state
- $44,120
- Out-of-state
- $44,120
More than 80% of Saint Joseph's business majors land an internship, on a campus that graduates 66% of its 1,454 students.
- Hakia Score 74.3, #2 in Maine
- 66% graduation rate
- 84% admit rate
- 80%+ of students complete a business internship
Saint Joseph's College of Maine offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in accounting, finance, management, marketing, and business and sport management. Faculty advise students from their first day on campus, and the school reports that more than 80% of its business majors complete an internship, often at the same organization that later hires them. The program also states it prepares students for professional certifications such as the CPA exam, and offers an accelerated path into the school's MBA.
Saint Joseph's ranks #2 in Maine with a Hakia Score of 74.3, on a 66% graduation rate and an 84% admit rate, at a small campus of 1,454 students. Tuition is a flat $44,120 for every student, in state or out, which is $22,048 more per year than Husson's flat rate, a gap that adds up to roughly $88,000 over four years. That premium fits students who want a smaller campus, close faculty mentorship, and a defined concentration menu, and who are prepared to pay a private-college sticker price for it.
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME · Public
- Grad rate
- 40%
- Admit rate
- 79%
- In-state
- $9,180
- Out-of-state
- $27,030
USM's AACSB-accredited business degree costs $9,180 in state versus $27,030 out of state, a 194% premium that makes it the biggest in/out tuition gap of any ranked Maine program.
- AACSB accredited
- $9,180 in-state tuition, third-lowest on this list
- 7,604 total enrollment, largest program ranked
- 40% graduation rate
The University of Southern Maine's School of Business, AACSB accredited, runs its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through a Management major taught in blended and in-person formats. The curriculum covers strategic thinking, organizational behavior, human resources, and business ethics, backed by an internship program that places students with more than 200 regional businesses and organizations, plus an Accelerated Graduate Pathway that lets qualified students roll straight into the MaineMBA.
USM ranks #3 in Maine with a Hakia Score of 73, on a 79% admit rate and a 40% graduation rate, the second-lowest completion rate among Maine's ranked programs, behind UMA's 27%. Its edge is price: $9,180 in-state tuition against $27,030 out of state, a gap of $17,850, meaning out-of-state students pay 194% more than Maine residents. At 7,604 students, USM is also by far the largest program on this list. It fits Maine residents chasing an AACSB credential at the state's lowest sticker price, though the 40% graduation rate is worth weighing against Husson's 59% or UNE's 68%.
University of New England
Biddeford, ME · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 68%
- Admit rate
- 92%
- In-state
- $42,650
- Out-of-state
- $42,650
UNE admits 92% of applicants yet still graduates 68% of them, the highest completion rate of any ranked business program in Maine.
- 68% graduation rate, highest in the Maine ranking
- 92% admit rate
- $42,650 flat tuition
- 8 concentrations including health sector management and international business
UNE's College of Business runs a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration built for cross-disciplinary use: students pick from concentrations including accounting, finance, marketing, management, economics, entrepreneurship, international business, and health sector management, or design their own. The interdisciplinary framing carries through the curriculum, applying business thinking to health and environmental fields, backed by a Makerspace for prototyping, multiple internship placements, and an Honors Program built around faculty-directed research.
UNE ranks #4 in Maine with a Hakia Score of 72.4, on a 92% admit rate, and a 68% graduation rate, the highest completion rate among Maine's ranked business programs. Tuition is a flat $42,650 for all 6,573 students, in state or out, about $20,578 more per year than Husson's flat rate, or roughly $82,000 over four years. That combination, near-open admission plus the best completion odds on this list, fits students who want a wide concentration menu without a competitive application, if they can absorb the private tuition.
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Presque Isle, ME · Public
- Grad rate
- 52%
- Admit rate
- 100%
- In-state
- $7,800
- Out-of-state
- $13,260
UMPI accepts every applicant and still charges just $7,800 a year in state for a Business Administration degree built around six concentrations, from accounting to outdoor recreation.
- 100% admit rate
- $7,800 in-state tuition
- 52% graduation rate
- HyFlex 'OnLive' format with 6 concentrations
The University of Maine at Presque Isle delivers its Business Administration degree through a HyFlex "OnLive" model: every class meets in person and online at the same scheduled time, so students choose week to week how they attend. The core curriculum covers accounting, finance, written and oral communication, organizational behavior, marketing, change management, human resource management, project management, information systems, and entrepreneurship, and students layer on one of six concentrations: Accounting, Leadership, Marketing, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, or Outdoor Recreation. Classes run Monday through Thursday, and the program pairs coursework with internships and hands-on projects in business operations, finance, and marketing.
UMPI's Hakia Score of 65.4 ranks it #5 among Business Administration programs in Maine. The program admits 100% of applicants, making it the most accessible option on this list, and graduates 52% of its students, ahead of UMA's 27% and just behind Thomas College's 54%. In-state tuition is $7,800 a year; out-of-state students pay $13,260, still the lowest out-of-state rate among Maine's ranked programs. That combination, open admission plus a sub-$8,000 in-state price, fits students who want a flexible, low-cost path into business with a concentration few other Maine schools offer: Outdoor Recreation.
Thomas College
Waterville, ME · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 54%
- Admit rate
- 96%
- In-state
- $30,718
- Out-of-state
- $30,718
Thomas College packs its Business Administration degree into a 121-credit curriculum with a 3-year completion option, backed by the Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation, for a flat $30,718 a year whether you live in Maine or not.
- 54% graduation rate
- 96% admit rate
- $30,718 flat tuition, in-state or out
- 121 credit hours with a 3-year option
Thomas College's BS in Business Administration blends liberal arts with core business training aimed at leadership roles: executive management, departmental leadership, school administration, and nonprofit leadership and management. The degree runs 121 credit hours with a 3-year completion option, and students take key courses in leadership, managerial accounting, interpersonal relations, business ethics, and innovation, change and agile organizations. The Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation adds innovation challenges, workshops and seminars, memberships in Phi Beta Lambda and the Society for Advancement of Management, an Entrepreneurial Club, and one-on-one mentorship, alongside required internships.
Thomas College's Hakia Score of 63.4 places it #6 in Maine. It graduates 54% of students, the median graduation rate among Maine's seven ranked programs, and admits 96% of applicants. Tuition is a flat $30,718 a year for every student, in-state or out, nearly four times UMPI's in-state price and roughly 2.3 times its out-of-state price. That premium buys a faster, three-year completion track and a smaller campus (1,635 total enrollment, well under UMA's 4,412), which fits students prioritizing graduation rate and a compressed timeline over the lowest sticker price.
University of Maine at Augusta
Augusta, ME · Public · online option
- Grad rate
- 27%
- Admit rate
- NR
- In-state
- $7,800
- Out-of-state
- $21,090
UMA runs its Business Administration degree online plus in Augusta and Bangor for the same $7,800 in-state price as UMPI, spanning five credentials from an associate degree to a post-bachelor's in accounting.
- $7,800 in-state tuition
- 27% graduation rate
- Fully online plus Augusta and Bangor campuses
- 5 credential levels, from associate to post-bachelor's
The University of Maine at Augusta offers Business Administration across five credential levels: an Associate of Science in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science with an Accounting major, a BS with a Management major, a Post-Baccalaureate BS in Business Administration, and a Post-BSBA in Accounting. Coursework is available in Augusta, in Bangor, at UMA's centers, and fully online, and it builds communication skills (public speaking, supervising and training others, writing reports), technical skills (spreadsheets, information systems, financial statements, tax computation), quantitative skills (statistics, budgeting, forecasting), and analytical skills (cost/benefit evaluation, investment decisions, market dynamics).
UMA's Hakia Score of 60.8 ranks it #7 in Maine. Its graduation rate of 27% trails both UMPI (52%) and Thomas College (54%) by a wide margin, a tradeoff worth weighing against its flexibility. In-state tuition matches UMPI at $7,800 a year, but out-of-state students pay $21,090, well above UMPI's $13,260. At 4,412 students, UMA is larger than Husson, Thomas College, and Saint Joseph's, though smaller than USM's 7,604 and UNE's 6,573. It fits Maine residents who need a fully online or multi-campus option and want a choice between an accounting-focused and a management-focused bachelor's track, or a faster associate-degree entry point, more than it fits students chasing the highest completion odds.
What Bachelor's in Business Administration Programs Cost in Maine
Tuition among these programs runs from $7,800 to $44,120 a year, a $36,320 gap that has nothing to do with how good the teaching is and everything to do with who is paying for it. University of Maine at Presque Isle and University of Maine at Augusta both sit at the $7,800 floor, the in-state rate at Maine's public university system. Saint Joseph's College of Maine sits at the top, $44,120 a year, more than five times the public rate.
The math matters here. Four years at $7,800 a year comes to $31,200 in tuition before any aid. Four years at $44,120 a year comes to $176,480, a $145,280 difference for degrees that lead into the same national job market. The BLS puts the median wage for business and management occupations at $105,770 a year; that figure is identical no matter which of these seven programs you compare, so a cheaper program does not cap your earning power.
That is why University of Maine at Presque Isle stands out among the best business administration programs in Maine for anyone counting dollars: a 65.4 Hakia Score, a 52% graduation rate, and the lowest tuition in the ranking. University of Maine at Augusta charges the identical $7,800 but graduates only 27% of students, the lowest completion rate in the ranking, so the sticker price alone does not tell the full story.
Is There a Licensing Exam for a Business Administration Bachelor's Degree?
A business administration degree does not lead to a state license the way nursing or accounting can. There is no national licensing board for a general management degree, and none of the seven programs in this ranking require students to pass a field exam before they graduate. That is different from accounting, where the path to a CPA license runs through a standalone exam most programs do not prepare you for directly.
What that means in practice: employers weigh your school's accreditation, your GPA, and your internships to judge a business administration degree, not a licensing number. If you already know you want to sit for the CPA exam, look for a program that lets you stack the required accounting credit hours; a general BBA usually will not clear that bar on its own. For everyone else, the absence of a licensing exam is not a red flag. It just means the burden of proof shifts to accreditation and outcomes, which is exactly what the Hakia Score measures.
Why AACSB Accreditation Matters for a Business Degree
Accreditation is the one factor this ranking cannot pull from IPEDS, which is exactly why it is worth a close look before you pick from the best business administration programs in Maine. The single accreditation worth checking is AACSB accreditation. AACSB is a specialized business-school accreditor, separate from the regional accreditation every college needs just to hand out federal financial aid. Regional accreditation confirms the school is a real institution; AACSB accreditation confirms the business faculty, curriculum, and outcomes meet a peer-reviewed standard specific to business programs.
Not every accredited college holds AACSB status, and it is worth confirming directly with the admissions office before you apply, since accreditation status can change and is not part of the IPEDS fields used to build this ranking. A degree from an AACSB-accredited program tends to carry more weight with recruiters at larger employers, particularly if you plan to apply to an MBA program later that screens for accredited undergraduate coursework.
Bachelor's Degree vs. Other Business Degree Levels
This ranking focuses on the Bachelor's degree because that is where the overwhelming majority of business programs in Maine enroll students, and it is the level with enough IPEDS data, on graduation rate, admissions, and cost, to compare fairly across public and private schools. All seven schools in this ranking report Bachelor's-level outcomes.
Alternatives exist. An Associate degree in business gets you into entry-level roles faster and cheaper, typically two years instead of four, but it caps out below most management titles. A Master's, usually an MBA, sits on top of the Bachelor's rather than replacing it; most MBA programs expect a completed bachelor's degree and a few years of work experience before you apply. If you are choosing your first business administration degree, the BBA is the more common and more flexible starting point, and it is what every program in this ranking is built around.
Online Programs and Accelerated Paths
Online programs have become a standard option, not a niche one, especially at private nonprofit colleges that serve working adults alongside traditional undergraduates. Several of the private schools in this ranking, the kind posting $22,072 to $44,120 in sticker tuition, built their enrollment around exactly that adult, part-time student, so ask directly whether the program you are considering offers evening, hybrid, or fully online coursework.
An accelerated format can shave a year or more off a four-year business administration degree by stacking courses back to back instead of running two 15-week semesters a year, but it demands a heavier weekly course load. Online and accelerated paths fit best if you are already working, need a fixed schedule, or are transferring in credit from a prior Associate degree. Not every program on this list published online-specific numbers we could independently verify through IPEDS, so treat format as a question for admissions, not a ranking factor here.
Business Administration Salary and Career Outlook
Graduates of business programs move into a wide range of management and operations roles, and the government tracks pay for that broad category rather than for one specific job title. The BLS Occupational Outlook for management occupations puts the national median wage at $105,770 a year. That figure applies across the field, not to any one school on this list, so treat it as the national backdrop against which every business administration degree here competes, not a promise tied to a specific diploma.
Titles that a BBA commonly leads to include operations manager and general manager, and after a few years of experience, roles the BLS tracks separately under top executives. Detailed wage data by metro area and industry is available through BLS OEWS data. None of the seven programs in this ranking publish their own graduate salary figures at the school level, which is exactly why the national BLS numbers, not a marketing claim from one college, are the right benchmark to hold every business administration program against.
Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Maine: Your Questions, Answered
What are the best bachelor's in business administration programs in Maine?
How long does a business administration bachelor's degree take to finish?
Is an online business administration bachelor's degree respected by employers?
How much do bachelor's in business administration programs cost in Maine?
What graduation rate is good for a business administration program?
Do I need a CPA or other license to work with a business administration bachelor's degree?
What is the difference between a BBA and an MBA?
How much do business administration graduates earn?
How the Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Maine Are Scored
Every program earns a Hakia Score from 0 to 100, built only from federal data (IPEDS, the U.S. Department of Education, and BLS) and scored against its true peers: programs in the same field at the same degree level. No reputation surveys, no pay-to-play. Here is how the score is weighted:
- Outcomes44%
Graduation rate (26%) and real per-school graduate earnings (18%). Does the program get students to the finish line, and where do they land?
- Selectivity & academics38%
Admissions selectivity (24%) and the academic profile of admitted students (14%).
- Scale & value18%
Enrollment (7%), cost-to-earnings value (6%), and the number of graduates a program produces (5%).
Weights renormalize over the data each program actually reports, so a school missing a metric (many open-access colleges do not publish entrance scores or earnings) is never penalized for it. Scores are percentiles within the peer group, curved to a 0-to-100 scale. What the score does not measure: individual instructor quality, specific course content, or campus culture. Verify those directly with the program.