Fall Enrollment up three percent at Maine’s Community Colleges

AUGUSTA, ME — Fall enrollment is up 3% at Maine’s community colleges, marking another historic high enrollment for the seven colleges.

“This sustained enrollment growth is critical at a time when Maine’s economy needs more skilled employees in a range of industries that we specifically target for high-quality, low-cost instruction – from construction to computer science. This ongoing demand is a sign that we are executing on our mission of providing an education that works for Mainers looking to find meaningful work and a better life,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS).

Significant initiatives at Maine’s community colleges in recent years have played a large role in continuing the system’s role as the state’s premiere workforce training partner.

Recent changes include new transfer agreements with the University of Maine System and six independent Maine colleges aimed at making the four-year college pathway more affordable and seamless; Free Community College scholarships that cover 100% of tuition for the high school graduating classes of 2020-2025; expanded instruction hours and new remote learning options; new certificate and degree programs to meet market demands; and academic initiatives that increase student success and improve the student experience. At the same time, the colleges serve as vibrant community centers with new housing options, new sports teams, and additional student events and activities.

As of October 15, fall enrollment was 15,833 students, up 3% from 15,366 students on the same date last year. Tuition and fees for a full-time in-state student are $4,156 a year, the lowest in New England.

Starting this year, MCCS has changed the way it reports fall enrollment to exclude Early College students, who are high school students taking community college courses at their high school or at a college campus. The new reporting method aligns MCCS with the University of Maine System, which began excluding Early College students from its enrollment reports several years ago. The change also ensures transparency in the makeup of Maine’s community college student body.

Using the new model, fall enrollment at Maine’s community colleges has increased 20% since fall 2019 (the last pre-COVID fall class) and increased 13% since 2017.

Although official fall enrollment figures only capture degree-seeking students, MCCS has also significantly expanded short-term workforce training programs that take less than a year to complete and are generally free for students. These short-term programs are coordinated by the system’s Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce. Since 2022, 45,000 people have enrolled in those programs, which focus on quickly and efficiently acquiring a particular skill – such as basic construction skills in 10 weeks, a three-week welding course with a weekly $500 stipend, or a compact nine-month option for a medical assisting program.

MCCS is on track to train more than 100,000 students in short-term workforce training programs by 2030, the result of a historic five-year grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation. Graduates of the short-term program are eligible for scholarships toward a degree or certificate program.