Best Online Nursing Programs in South Portland, ME (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

South Portland, Maine has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. South Portland has a population of about 26,780. Median household income is $84,563 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.3% 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 South Portland

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near South Portland. Distances are calculated from South 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 South Portland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME 2.3 miles from South Portland BOC Score51.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Southern Maine Community College

South Portland, ME 3.2 miles from South Portland BOC Score46.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Maine College of Health Professions

Lewiston, ME 32.6 miles from South Portland BOC Score76.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Durham, NH 46.9 miles from South Portland BOC Score74.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Northern Essex Community College

Haverhill, MA 69.1 miles from South Portland BOC Score52.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Maine schools on the Maine nursing page.

Nursing Wages Near South Portland

South 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$88,470Portland-South Portland, ME$86,820
Licensed Practical Nurse$75,950Portland-South Portland, ME$74,534
Nurse Anesthetist$256,620Portland-South Portland, ME$251,835
Nurse Midwife$133,270ME statewide$130,785
Nurse Practitioner$130,240Portland-South Portland, ME$127,812
Nursing Assistant$48,180Portland-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.

South Portland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,780Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$84,563Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+49.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.9 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Cumberland County7,782 workers, 197 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other South Portland-Area Cities With Nursing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near South Portland, ME?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near South Portland. The closest is University of Southern Maine in Portland, ME (2.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Northern Essex Community College (69.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near South Portland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near South Portland 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 Portland instead of South Portland?

Portland, ME is 3.3 miles from South Portland 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 South Portland an affordable place to study nursing?

South Portland’s median household income of $84,563 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in South 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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in South Portland

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for South Portland:

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.

Back to Best Online Nursing Programs in Maine (2026)

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