Top 15 Military Friendly Colleges in Maine

1University of Southern Maine
96 Falmouth St | Portland, ME 04103

The first military friendly colleges in Maine is University of Southern Maine (USM. It has over 250 students who get GI Bill benefits. USM’s Veterans Services is an on-campus resource for veterans, service members, and their families. The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is an inviting space where veterans can learn more about resources both on and off campus. And, you could join the Husky Vets, the school’s Student Veterans of America chapter. They plan social events, attend conferences, and raise awareness of veterans on campus.

USM participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers 35 undergraduate students up to $6500 each, per year. And, 5 graduate students get up to $2000 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. Retention rates for students who get military benefits are 81% for full time and 83% for part time attendees.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $7,509
Grad: $11,710

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 116
Grad: 22

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 81%
Part Time: 83%

2 University of Maine
168 College Ave | Orono, ME 04469

The University of Maine houses the Veterans Education and Transition Services (VETS) Center, dedicated to supporting student veterans throughout their journey at UMaine. The VETS Center assists in the application process, aids in their attendance, and supports their advancement beyond the university. Additionally, the Associate Director acts as a bridge between student veterans and campus resources, ensuring their unique needs are met.

UMaine actively participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, providing up to $8,500 per year to 13 undergraduate students.

Veterans at UMaine are eligible for transfer credit based on their military training. The retention rate for full-time students benefiting from military benefits is 88%, while part-time students maintain a retention rate of 33%.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $7,496
Grad: $6,891

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 163
Grad: 20

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 88%
Part Time: 33%

3Husson University
1 College Circle, Bangor, Maine 04401-2929

Husson University places a strong value on their veterans, and make an effort to accommodate your specific needs through the admissions process. The school takes part in the Yellow Ribbon Program and have agreed to the Principles of Excellence executive order. These are part of the reason they’ve been designated a 2021-22 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media.

Another support at Husson is they offer a student veterans group–the Husson University Student Veterans Association (SVA).Students who may be interested in joining the Army ROTC could also learn about the program at HU.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $15,511
Grad: $12,934

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 48
Grad: 15

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: N/A
Part Time: N/A

5Unity College
90 Quaker Hill Rd | Unity, ME 04988

Unity College has been educating servicemen and women for over 50 years. The school offers a special military rate for active duty, veterans, spouses, and dependents.

Unity participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers 3 undergraduates up to $2,000 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $16,983
Grad: $6,233

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 30
Grad: 8

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 69%
Part Time: 17%

6Southern Maine Community College
2 Fort Road, South Portland, Maine 04106

SMCC is Maine’s largest, oldest and most diverse community college with over 40 degree programs, 2 campuses and 7 satellite
locations. The school was actually founded to serve World War II veterans who needed to learn new skills for the civilian workforce. And, was the first school in Maine to install combat-wounded parking spaces.

Recently, Southern Maine Community College was designated a Military Friendly School 21-22 and they offer many resources to help veterans and their family members. For e.g., in many cases, veterans attending SMCC are able to receive credit based on prior work and/or training. There are also many approved courses for education and training benefits for military personnel, veterans and dependents. These are non-credit, short-term training opportunities.

The SMCC Veterans Student Organization was set up to provide support and a forum for those interested in veterans’ issues. Membership is open to any student, staff member or faculty member with an interest in veterans’ issues. Mental health resources, help with benefits and the application process are other features you could expect to be able to use.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,322
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 84
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 78%
Part Time: 33%

7University of Maine at Farmington
224 Main St | Farmington, ME 04938

University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) has a wide range of courses and degree programs for military connected students.

UMF participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. It offers an unlimited number of undergraduate students up to $4,000 each, per year. And, an unlimited number of graduate students get up to $4,000 each, per year.

Veterans are eligible for transfer credit of military training. The retention rate for full time students who get military benefits is 100%.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $6,856
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 17
Grad: 2

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: N/A

8Maine College of Art
522 Congress St., Portland, Maine 04101-3494

Maine College of Art (MECA) was founded in 1882 as part of the Portland Society of Art. They separated from the school in 1982 and changed their name 10 years later after receiving accreditation. This includes as an art school through the National Association of Colleges of Art and Design (NASAD). And regional through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

If you want to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts or MFA, the school has several programs. To make it affordable, many eligible students receive some type of financial assistance. According to MECA, students receive more than $3 million annually in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and job opportunities. The College provides over $1.3 million directly to support the aid programs available to students.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $37,746
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 12
Grad: 2

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 64%
Part Time: 100%

9Eastern Maine Community College
354 Hogan Rd, Bangor, Maine 04401

Eastern Maine Community College is a place you could find technical, career, and liberal arts education. The school offers over 30 one- and two-year program options, as well as short term and specialized training and retraining courses for business, industry, and community. EMCC awards primarily associate degrees in applied science, science, and arts; certificates; diplomas; and documents of completion for customized, short-term programs and courses.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,277
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 31
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 79%
Part Time: 80%

10Central Maine Community College
1250 Turner Street, Auburn, Maine 04210

Central Maine Community College has been designated as a 2021-2022 Military Friendly® School by G.I. Jobs, The school is an approved institution for the training of veterans as well as the spouses and children of qualified veterans.

To make your transition to college life easier, there are several resources available including how to use your VA benefits. CMCC also accepts military transcripts to assess potential academic credit for your military schools and training.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,788
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 20
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 64%
Part Time: 50%

11Northeast Technical Institute
51 US RT 1 Suite K, Scarborough, Maine 04074-0000

Northeast Technical Institute offers career-focused training programs. Including in healthcare, HVAC/R, and commercial truck driving. As a veteran of the Armed Services, you could be eligible to use your educational benefits to help pay for your studies at NTI as well as submit your FAFSA. The school also offers the Charlie Liponis Scholarship to eligible applicants who fill out the form provided.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $6,399
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 50
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 83%
Part Time: 80%

12Kennebec Valley Community College
92 Western Ave, Fairfield, Maine 04937

Kennebec Valley Community College warmly embraces veterans, National Guard members, and active military personnel.

Students receiving VA benefits at KVCC may be eligible for additional financial aid programs and are urged to apply for them. The college evaluates military transcripts, potentially exchanging your experience for academic credit. Regarding resources, counseling, referral services, disability assistance, and mental health support are available.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,556
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 24
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: N/A

13Spa Tech Institute-Westbrook
100 Larrabee Road, Westbrook, Maine 04092

Spa Tech Institute is certified for Veterans Educational Benefits and complies with Executive Order 13607, “Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members.” Utilizing your benefits could help reduce the expenses of enrolling in their career-focused programs. These encompass massage, aesthetics, nail technology, barbering, cosmetology, and teacher training.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: N/A
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: N/A
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: N/A

14University of Maine at Presque Isle
181 Main St | Presque Isle, ME 04769

The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) extends gratitude to veterans and their families for their service. UMPI’s Veterans Services serves as an on-campus resource dedicated to supporting veterans, service members, and their families.

UMPI actively participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, providing up to $2,000 per year to 10 undergraduate students.

Veterans at UMPI are eligible to receive transfer credit for their military training.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $4,304
Grad: N/A

# of Students

Undergrad: 28
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: N/A
Part Time: N/A

15Northern Maine Community College
33 Edgemont Dr, Presque Isle, Maine 04769

Northern Maine Community College provides over 30 programs, with several available online. The college holds approval from the Maine State Approving Agency to train veterans and their dependents, assisting them in utilizing VA benefits for their education. Additionally, upon submission of military transcripts, the college evaluates them for potential college credits.

In addition to on-campus support, Northern Maine Community College offers the MBVS Resource Guide, an online publication offering comprehensive information about various benefits, services, and veterans-related organizations.

Average Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Awarded

Undergrad: $2,184
Grad: N/A

# of Students Earning 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Undergrad: 7
Grad: N/A

Retention Rates For Students Who Receive Benefits

Full Time: 100%
Part Time: 100%