Best Photography Schools Near Waterville, ME (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Waterville, Maine has 3 accredited schools offering photography programs. Waterville has a population of about 16,704. Median household income is $47,489 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Maine, the top-earning photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $60,030 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Photography Schools to Waterville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer photography programs near Waterville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterville city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Waterville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Husson University

Bangor, ME 47.0 miles from Waterville
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
47.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,025
Avg net price $21,005/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME 68.1 miles from Waterville
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,958
Avg net price $13,596/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Maine College of Art & Design

Portland, ME 68.2 miles from Waterville
  • 4 year
20.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,778
Avg net price $38,338/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Photography Wages Near Waterville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Maine, statewide)
Photographer$46,680
Graphic Designer$60,030

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.

Waterville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population16,704Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,489Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Waterville-Area Cities With Photography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near Waterville, ME?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering photography programs near Waterville. The closest is Husson University in Bangor, ME (47.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Maine College of Art & Design (68.2 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles in Maine?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles in Maine are: Graphic Designer ($60,030), Photographer ($46,680). Wages for Waterville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Augusta instead of Waterville?

Augusta, ME is 14.9 miles from Waterville and has its own set of local photography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Waterville an affordable place to study photography?

Waterville’s median household income of $47,489 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterville 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 Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterville

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

Data verified: August 25, 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 Photography Schools in Maine: Online Programs (2026)