University of New England
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Portland, ME (2026)
Portland, Maine has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $67,844 to $84,600 per year for indexed programs. Portland has a population of about 68,505. Median household income is $76,174 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 59.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Technical Writer at a median $78,160 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Portland
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Portland. Distances are calculated from Portland city center.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Portland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Colby College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Salem State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Tufts University
Published tuition$67,844 - $84,600
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Maine schools on the Maine liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Portland
Portland is part of the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area (BLS area code 38860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Maine statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $68,330 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $67,056 |
| Management Analyst | $75,530 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $74,122 |
| Technical Writer | $78,160 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $76,703 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $50,390 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,450 |
| Editor | $50,180 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,244 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $62,420 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $61,256 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $78,100 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $76,644 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Portland at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,505 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $76,174 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 59.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 101.9 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Liberal Arts-related employment in Cumberland County | 929 workers, 147 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Portland-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- South Portland, ME – 3.3 mi away (25,577 pop)
- Biddeford, ME – 17.1 mi away (21,362 pop)
- Auburn, ME – 28.2 mi away (22,948 pop)
- Lewiston, ME – 29.1 mi away (58,664 pop)
- Sanford, ME – 30.0 mi away (29,139 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Portland, ME?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Portland. The closest is University of New England in Biddeford, ME (16.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tufts University (96.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Portland?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Portland are: Technical Writer ($78,160), Human Resources Specialist ($78,100), Management Analyst ($75,530). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Maine statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in South Portland instead of Portland?
South Portland, ME is 3.3 miles from Portland and has its own set of local liberal arts programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Portland an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Portland’s median household income of $76,174 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Maine public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Liberal Arts Programs
- Liberal Arts accreditation: what to look for
- Liberal Arts concentrations and specializations
- Is a Liberal Arts degree worth it?
- Main Liberal Arts degree guide
- Online Liberal Arts programs in Maine
- Liberal Arts programs by state
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Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.