Best Online Colleges in Maine

Benefits of Studying Online in Maine

Though Maine only has a population of 1.3 million, it actually takes up the 39th most square footage of any state, giving it a total of 35,380 sq miles. Despite its small population, Maine is ranked as the 42nd biggest employer in the country, with a total of 641,900 employed persons as of October 2022. Compared to the previous year, 2021, it had added an additional 18,700 employees - giving it a growth rate of 3.0%. That growth rate is actually very impressive, as it made Maine the 26th fastest growing state in terms of jobs created over the last year. In terms of gross opportunities, Maine lags the median state by a margin of just less than 1.3 million (-68%).

Although it has the second fewest employees of any state, it was able to relatively solidly beat out Hawaii, which came in with a total of 620,000 workers. In addition, despite coming in at the bottom of the rankings, Maine was still able to beat out its northern counterpart, New Hampshire, by 44,000 people (-6.5%). That being said, Maine ranks 96% lower than the nation leader (California), unsurprising given the fact that it accounts for 0.4% of the nation’s population.

Overall, the data points to Maine as a promising location for studying and working, given its competitive job market and large land area. Maine's progressive economic landscape and low unemployment rate give students the chance to find both educational and recreational opportunities within it's 35, 380 sq miles of wilderness.

Job Opportunities

Maine is one of the smaller states in the US, but what it loses in size, it makes up for in diversity of job opportunities. Sitting at the 37th spot with 640 unique job types, the state falls 11.4% below the median (held by Louisiana) of 722 occupations. That may sound a bit discouraging, but with a -11.4% gap, Maine still has more than enough job types to keep college grads of all specialties well fed.

Although the job market may be smaller than average, it's still healthy and diverse, but if you’re someone who is looking for the greatest number of opportunities possible, then Maine may not be the wisest choice.

At the same time, Maine offers a number of world-class universities, including the University of Maine, which is located in the rural town of Orono, where students can enjoy the outdoors and diverse landscape, especially the Maine coast. The university has over 10,000 students and is the state’s largest institution of higher learning. Bates College in Lewiston is another highly respected school, while Bowdoin College in Brunswick and Colby College in Waterville, also rank among the nation’s best.

*All data sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023)