University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Sanford, ME (2026)
Sanford, Maine has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Sanford has a population of about 22,095. Median household income is $70,570 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $256,620 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Sanford
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Sanford. Distances are calculated from Sanford 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 Sanford. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
University of Southern Maine
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Southern Maine Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Northern Essex Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Maine College of Health Professions
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Maine schools on the Maine nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Sanford
Sanford 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $88,470 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $86,820 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $75,950 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $74,534 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $256,620 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $251,835 |
| Nurse Midwife | $133,270 | ME statewide | $130,785 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $130,240 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $127,812 |
| Nursing Assistant | $48,180 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $47,282 |
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.
Sanford at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,095 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $70,570 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 23.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 101.9 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Sanford-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Rochester, NH – 14.1 mi away (30,345 pop)
- Biddeford, ME – 15.6 mi away (21,362 pop)
- Dover, NH – 17.5 mi away (91,514 pop)
- Portsmouth, NH – 25.3 mi away (91,193 pop)
- South Portland, ME – 27.4 mi away (25,577 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Sanford, ME?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Sanford. The closest is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus in Durham, NH (21.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Maine College of Health Professions (53.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Sanford?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Sanford are: Nurse Anesthetist ($256,620), Nurse Midwife ($133,270), Nurse Practitioner ($130,240). 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 Rochester instead of Sanford?
Rochester, NH is 14.1 miles from Sanford and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Sanford an affordable place to study nursing?
Sanford’s median household income of $70,570 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sanford 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 Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Maine
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Sanford
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sanford:
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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.