University of Southern Maine
Portland, Maine · Public · 4,222 undergraduates · usm.maine.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test blind
Scores aren't considered
Admit rate
82%
of 5,253 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
990 to 1238
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$31,120Est.Estimate
$51,070 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of Southern Maine
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
82% of applicants admitted
Target
Your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's here.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$51,070
a year in 2027-28, from a $51,070 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1095
Scores aren't considered here
This college doesn't consider SAT or ACT scores, even if you send them.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test blind
SAT and ACT scores aren't considered for admission, even if you send them.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Source: Undergraduate Admission | University of Southern Maine · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Dec1Early Action · December 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Feb1Other deadline · February 1, 2027
- Feb1Priority deadline · February 1, 2027Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- Jun1Other deadline · June 1, 2027
- Aug15Rolling admission · August 15, 2027Applications are reviewed as they arrive.
Who gets in
82%
of applicants were admitted: 4,329 of 5,253 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 12/1, hear by 1/15.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 10% of them sent SAT scores and 2% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 990 to 1238
Reading and Writing 500 to 650
Math 490 to 600
ACT composite 24 to 28
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16000%
- 1200 to 139930%
- 1000 to 119942%
- 800 to 99923%
- 600 to 7991.4%
- 400 to 5994.1%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.36
- 4.017%
- 3.75 to 3.997.7%
- 3.50 to 3.7422%
- 3.25 to 3.4919%
- 3.00 to 3.2414%
- 2.50 to 2.9913%
- Below 2.508.2%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$31,120
a year, in state
$51,070
a year, out of state (tuition $33,590)
- Tuition (in state)$13,640
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$10,980
- $30,001 to $48,000$11,278
- $48,001 to $75,000$12,194
- $75,001 to $110,000$15,400
- Over $110,000$21,982
Financial aid
81%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$14,574
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
19%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $4,686 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 2/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
38 of 38
Earn credit with a score of 3
38 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,360Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 141 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 142 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | COR 1XX CPE |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARH 1XX CI + INTL |
| Biology | 3 | 9 | BIO 105, BIO 106, and BIO 107 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MAT 152 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MAT 152 and MAT 153 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHY 113 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4.5 | CHY 113 and CHY 115 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 7.5 | CHY 113 SE, CHY 114 SE and CHY 115 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | CHI 201 CI and CHI 202 CI |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POS 1XX & INTL |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | COS 160 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | COS 1XX |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 151 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 100 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 6 | ENG 100 and ENG 1XX |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 6 | ENG 100 and ENG 140 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | ESP 101 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HTY 102 & INTL |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | FRE 201 and FRE 202 & INTL |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | GER 201 and GER 202 & INTL |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEO 101 & INTL |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | ITA 201 and ITA 202 $ INTL |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | LAN 201 AND LAN 202 |
| Latin | 3 | 8 | LAT 201 AND LAT 202 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECO 101 SCA & QR |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECO 102 SCA & QR |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUS 110 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 5 | MUT 110 and MUT 112 with score of 4 or higher on written component MUT 111 and MUT 113 with score of 4 or higher on aural component |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHY 111 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 5 | PHY 111 and PHY 114 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHY 112 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 5 | PHY 112 and PHY 116 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 8 | PHY 121 and PHY 123 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHY 121 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | MAT140 | |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSY 100 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | SPA 201 and SPA 202 & INTL |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPA 2XX |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | MAT 120 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | PSY 201 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POS 101 |
| United States History | 3 | 6 | HTY 131 and HTY 132 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HTY 1XX SCA & INTL |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
43%
Come back for a second year
74%
Typical earnings
$57,989
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Southern Maine$76,323
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 25 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of Southern Maine. The University of Southern Maine logo is a trademark of the college.