Best Professional Writing Schools Near Augusta, ME (2026)

Augusta, Maine has 2 accredited schools offering professional writing programs, with tuition ranging from $66,590 to $83,532 per year for indexed programs. Augusta has a population of about 18,999. Median household income is $48,756 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Maine, the top-earning professional writing-related role is Editor at a median $50,180 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Professional Writing Schools to Augusta

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

Bates College

Lewiston, ME 28.2 miles from Augusta
  • 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

#2

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME 53.6 miles from Augusta
  • 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

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


Professional Writing Wages Near Augusta

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Maine, statewide)
Writer and AuthorN/A
Technical WriterN/A
Editor$50,180

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.


Augusta at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,999Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,756Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Augusta-Area Cities With Professional Writing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited professional writing schools are near Augusta, ME?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering professional writing programs near Augusta. The closest is Bates College in Lewiston, ME (28.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Southern Maine (53.6 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying professional writing roles in Maine?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying professional writing-related roles in Maine are: Editor ($50,180). Wages for Augusta workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Waterville instead of Augusta?

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

Is Augusta an affordable place to study professional writing?

Augusta’s median household income of $48,756 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Augusta 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 Professional Writing Programs

Other Programs Available in Augusta

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.