Best Physics Schools Near Sanford, ME (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sanford, Maine has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $67,832 to $85,100 per year for indexed 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 physics-related role is Software Developers at a median $128,710 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Sanford

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Sanford, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sanford 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 Sanford. 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

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME 29.3 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 94

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME 51.8 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
82.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 7%
Graduation rate 95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,735
Avg net price $14,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,832
Out‑of‑state$67,832
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Bates College

Lewiston, ME 54.6 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
67.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 13%
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,498
Avg net price $29,351/yr
Tuition
In‑state$66,590
Out‑of‑state$66,590
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Colby College

Waterville, ME 95.7 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
77.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 7%
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,490
Avg net price $17,180/yr
Tuition
In‑state$69,600
Out‑of‑state$69,600
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Maine

Orono, ME 145.2 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
53.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,653
Avg net price $17,510/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,326
Out‑of‑state$36,756
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 137

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Physics 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)
Physicists $57,780 Portland-South Portland, ME $56,703
Biochemists and Biophysicists $84,490 Portland-South Portland, ME $82,915
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $104,270 ME statewide $102,326
Mathematicians N/A ME statewide –
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $103,710 ME statewide $101,776
Engineers, All Other $123,780 Portland-South Portland, ME $121,472
Software Developers $128,710 Portland-South Portland, ME $126,310
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $77,470 Portland-South Portland, ME $76,026

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 Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Sanford, ME?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics 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 Bowdoin College (51.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Sanford?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Sanford are: Software Developers ($128,710), Engineers, All Other ($123,780), Physics Teachers, Postsecondary ($104,270). 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 physics 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 physics?

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 Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Sanford

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

Data verified: September 5, 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 Physics Schools in Maine: Online Programs (2026)