Head-to-head comparison
University of Maine vs Unity Environmental University: which has better ROI?
Option A Orono, ME
University of Maine
- Net price / year
- $17,510
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,653
- Payback
- 239 yrs
Option B New Gloucester, ME
Unity Environmental University
- Net price / year
- $19,104
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,852
- Payback
- No payback
University of Maine has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $70,040 in 239 years versus not at all at Unity Environmental University, on median earnings of $48,653 vs $37,852 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | University of Maine | Unity Environmental University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,510 | $19,104 |
| Total net cost | $70,040 | $76,416 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,653 | $37,852 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 239 yrs | — |
| 20-year net return | -$64,180 | -$286,576 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, University of Maine or Unity Environmental University?
University of Maine, at $17,510 a year after aid versus $19,104 — a gap of $1,594 a year, or $6,376 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 or Unity Environmental University graduates earn more?
University of Maine graduates report a median $48,653 ten years after entry, $10,801 more than the $37,852 at Unity Environmental 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 or Unity Environmental University?
Completers at both borrow a median $25,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
55% of students finish at University of Maine, against 29% at Unity Environmental University. 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.