Head-to-head comparison
Bates College vs Maine Maritime Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Lewiston, ME
Bates College
- Net price / year
- $29,351
- Earnings, 10 years
- $69,498
- Payback
- 5.6 yrs
Option B Castine, ME
Maine Maritime Academy
- Net price / year
- $23,414
- Earnings, 10 years
- $89,964
- Payback
- 2.3 yrs
Maine Maritime Academy has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $93,656 in 2.3 years versus 5.6 years at Bates College, on median earnings of $89,964 vs $69,498 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bates College | Maine Maritime Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,351 | $23,414 |
| Total net cost | $117,404 | $93,656 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $69,498 | $89,964 |
| Median debt | $14,275 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 5.6 yrs | 2.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $305,356 | $738,424 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bates College or Maine Maritime Academy?
Maine Maritime Academy, at $23,414 a year after aid versus $29,351 — a gap of $5,937 a year, or $23,748 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Bates College or Maine Maritime Academy graduates earn more?
Maine Maritime Academy graduates report a median $89,964 ten years after entry, $20,466 more than the $69,498 at Bates College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Bates College or Maine Maritime Academy?
Bates College: its completers carry a median $14,275 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Maine Maritime Academy, a difference of $12,725. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
90% of students finish at Bates College, against 58% at Maine Maritime Academy. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.