UMaine System projects 10-year high in enrollment as classes begin
Maine’s public universities set to welcome record‑high enrollment in 2026
Orono, ME – The University of Maine System (UMS) has projected that more than 28,000 students will be enrolled across its seven campuses in the fall of 2026, the highest headcount the state’s public higher‑education system has seen since 2016.
The official enrollment census will take place on October 15, but spokesperson Samantha Warren announced the figures in a Monday news release. The projected total lifts the system’s 2025 enrollment of 26,662 students by over 1,300—an increase that would bring the system well beyond the 28,000‑student mark that UMS has never reached in a decade.
Gains spread across the system
Four of the seven schools report an overall rise in enrollment, while the other three show record‑setting numbers in particular programs or demographics. The largest institutions, the University of Maine (Orono) and the University of Southern Maine (USM), actually project slightly smaller enrollments this fall: 10,674 students at Orono and 6,000 at USM, down from 10,938 and 6,201, respectively. The drop is attributed mainly to shifting student preferences and demographic trends rather than institutional performance.
In contrast, the smaller campuses are experiencing notable growth. The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) is expected to host 4,100 students, with roughly 80 % of them enrolled in the YourPace program that lets working adults finish degrees they began elsewhere. That program has propelled UMPI to serve 70 % more students than it did last year and 251 % more than five years ago; the campus now has more than twice as many students as it had in 2021.
UMaine at Augusta is launching its largest incoming class of first‑time, first‑year students on record, with 300 students scheduled to begin on Monday. The school offers free tuition to most Pell‑eligible in‑state students through the Pine Tree State Pledge, a move that is expected to boost access for low‑income families.
Graduate‑level enrollment is also rising. More than 5,200 graduate students and 635 doctoral candidates are slated to enroll this fall. The UMS School of Law recorded its highest class size since the late 1990s with 297 Juris Doctor students, up from 290 the previous year. In the region’s career‑aligned master’s programs, UMaine at Farmington has nearly doubled enrollment to 535 students over the last five years, and UMaine at Fort Kent’s nursing and other master’s programs are projected to grow from 23 students in 2022 to 246 this fall. The online nursing doctoral program at Fort Kent has also doubled to 24 students.
Why the uptick?
Spokesperson Warren said the rise reflects the system’s continued focus on affordability, online offerings, workforce‑ready degrees, and streamlined entry paths. “Maine’s public universities are the most affordable in New England, with 30 % of undergraduate students paying nothing out of pocket for tuition and fees,” she noted. The system’s affordability is a key draw, especially as national trends show a “cliff” in enrollment for public institutions amid shifting federal policies.
Chancellor Dannel Malloy echoed this sentiment. “Against the strongest demographic headwinds in the nation, our system is a success story that our students, faculty, staff and all Mainers should take pride in,” Malloy said. “Nine consecutive semesters of enrollment growth demonstrate that Maine’s public universities are innovating to meet the market with high‑quality, affordable programs that more students and families recognize as the region’s most proven path to opportunity and upward mobility.”
Looking ahead
A comprehensive report on the enrollment figures will be released in November after the census data is finalized. The system’s dashboard, updated regularly on the UMS website, will provide detailed breakdowns by campus, program and demographic group.
With projections pointing to a historic surge in student numbers, the University of Maine System’s new academic year promises to be one of growth and opportunity for Mainers seeking accessible, career‑focused higher education.
