Head-to-head comparison
Northern Maine Community College vs College of the Atlantic: which has better ROI?
Option A Presque Isle, ME
Northern Maine Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,181
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,348
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Bar Harbor, ME
College of the Atlantic
- Net price / year
- $25,184
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,264
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northern Maine Community College comes closer — median earnings $43,348 against a $14,362 total, vs $40,264 at College of the Atlantic. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northern Maine Community College | College of the Atlantic |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,181 | $25,184 |
| Total net cost | $14,362 | $100,736 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,348 | $40,264 |
| Median debt | $10,825 | $25,050 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$114,602 | -$262,656 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northern Maine Community College or College of the Atlantic?
Northern Maine Community College, at $7,181 a year after aid versus $25,184 — a gap of $18,003 a year, or $86,374 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 Northern Maine Community College or College of the Atlantic graduates earn more?
Northern Maine Community College graduates report a median $43,348 ten years after entry, $3,084 more than the $40,264 at College of the Atlantic. 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, Northern Maine Community College or College of the Atlantic?
Northern Maine Community College: its completers carry a median $10,825 in federal loans versus $25,050 at College of the Atlantic, a difference of $14,225. 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?
68% of students finish at College of the Atlantic, against 42% at Northern Maine Community College. 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.