USM among nation's most expensive public colleges

The University of Southern Maine and Maine Maritime Academy are among the nation’s most expensive public colleges for in-state students, according to a new federal report.

The Portland Press Herald reported that USM’s 23rd ranking and Maine Maritime’s 28th ranking by the U.S. Department of Education were based on the average net cost that students paid for the 2011-2012 academic year after receiving scholarships and grants. The federal agency’s list only focused on four-year colleges. The net cost is the cost of tuition, room and board and other college fees minus grants and scholarships.

USM students paid a net cost of $18,177 a year, while Maine Maritime students paid a net cost of $17,726 — both above the state average of $12,787 and the national average of $11,582. The list’s most expensive college was Miami University of Ohio at $24,674.

USM and Maine Maritime officials told the Press Herald that while they acknowledged the schools’ rankings, they said both schools have taken cost-savings measures for students. Judie O’Malley, a spokeswoman at USM, claimed that the DOE report also used some incorrect information for the university’s ranking.

The newspaper noted that the University of Maine System, which includes USM, is dealing with major budget cuts in the wake of continuously decreasing appropriations from the state. James Page, a former CEO and the chancellor of the UMaine System, recently asked Maine businesses to help public colleges lobby the state Legislature for more education funding.