Best Public Policy Schools Near Bangor, ME (2026)

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

Bangor, Maine is home to about 31,663 residents. Median household income is $58,096 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Maine, the top-earning public policy-related role is Economists at a median $91,480 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Bangor

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public policy programs near Bangor, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bangor 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 Bangor. 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 109.2 miles from Bangor
  • 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

University of New England

Biddeford, ME 123.5 miles from Bangor
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
53.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,921
Avg net price $38,107/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,210
Out‑of‑state$44,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Policy Wages Near Bangor

Bangor is part of the Bangor, ME metro area (BLS area code 12620). 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)
Political Scientists N/A ME statewide –
Management Analysts $84,120 Bangor, ME $87,171
Economists $91,480 ME statewide $94,798
Social and Community Service Managers $72,150 Bangor, ME $74,767
Survey Researchers $47,330 ME statewide $49,047
Compliance Officers $77,660 Bangor, ME $80,477
General and Operations Managers $91,110 Bangor, ME $94,415
Financial and Investment Analysts $79,320 Bangor, ME $82,197

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.

Bangor at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 31,663 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,096 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 36.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Bangor-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying public policy roles near Bangor?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles near Bangor are: Economists ($91,480), General and Operations Managers ($91,110), Management Analysts ($84,120). 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 Waterville instead of Bangor?

Waterville, ME is 47.2 miles from Bangor and has its own set of local public policy programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bangor an affordable place to study public policy?

Bangor’s median household income of $58,096 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bangor 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 Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Bangor

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

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 Public Policy Schools in Maine: Online Programs (2026)