Head-to-head comparison
University of Maine at Augusta vs Beal University: which has better ROI?
Option A Augusta, ME
University of Maine at Augusta
- Net price / year
- $10,924
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,342
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Bangor, ME
Beal University
- Net price / year
- $40,109
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,639
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but University of Maine at Augusta comes closer — median earnings $40,342 against a $43,696 total, vs $35,639 at Beal University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | University of Maine at Augusta | Beal University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,924 | $40,109 |
| Total net cost | $43,696 | $80,218 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,342 | $35,639 |
| Median debt | $22,734 | $19,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$204,056 | -$334,638 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, University of Maine at Augusta or Beal University?
University of Maine at Augusta, at $10,924 a year after aid versus $40,109 — a gap of $29,185 a year, or $36,522 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 University of Maine at Augusta or Beal University graduates earn more?
University of Maine at Augusta graduates report a median $40,342 ten years after entry, $4,703 more than the $35,639 at Beal University. 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, University of Maine at Augusta or Beal University?
Beal University: its completers carry a median $19,500 in federal loans versus $22,734 at University of Maine at Augusta, a difference of $3,234. 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?
36% of students finish at Beal University, against 27% at University of Maine at Augusta. 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.