Northern Vermont University vs Maine USM

Northern Vermont University (NVU) and University of Southern Maine (USM) are two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. NVU, with its campuses in Johnson and Lyndon, Vermont, boasts a close-knit community and a focus on experiential learning, while USM, located in Portland, Maine, offers a vibrant urban setting and a wide range of academic programs. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Northern Vermont University logo

Northern Vermont University

University of Southern Maine logo

University of Southern Maine

Overview

Location Johnson, Vermont Portland, Maine
Campus setting Rural: Distant City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 57.0% 65.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.4% 87.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 995 - 1230
ACT range N/A 19 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 18.0%
Students submitting ACT score 1.0%
Total number of applicants 3,954 5,397
Total number of admissions given out 2,981 4,695
Admitted students who chose to enroll 263 895
Yield rate 8.8% 19.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $27,598

Out of state: $41,686
In state: $23,842

Out of state: $37,842
Average net price $17,086 $9,793
Tuition
In state: $11,592

Out of state: $25,680
In state: $8,064

Out of state: $22,064
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,312

Meal plan: $4,732
Room/dormitory: $5,460

Meal plan: $4,980
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $10,938
92.0%
Average amount $8,886
Students receiving federal student loan 70.0%
Average amount $4,880
45.0%
Average amount $4,969
Students taking out private loans 20.0%
Average amount $11,045
6.0%
Average amount $10,975

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,495
Men 38.5% Women 61.5%
5,956
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students 251
Men 23.9% Women 76.1%
2,040
Men 25.3% Women 74.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 47.7% 23.4%
International students 1.0% 1.2%
Campus local/setting Rural: Distant City: Small
Dormitory capacity 1,350 1,189
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Vermont Connecticut New Hampshire New York California Maine New Hampshire Mississippi Vermont Connecticut

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 38.4% 34.5%
Dropout rate 24.0% 33.0%
Transferred out 35.2% 30.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $48,789
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,175
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $48,043
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,585
  • Year 2: $40,821
  • Year 3: $42,668
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,519
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,618
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,022
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,578
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,619
  • Year 2: $29,250
  • Year 3: $36,764
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,456
  • Year 2: $34,244
  • Year 3: $36,088
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,897
  • Year 2: $34,793
  • Year 3: $35,525
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,435
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: $32,943
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,154
  • Year 2: $27,947
  • Year 3: $32,920
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,041
  • Year 2: $95,169
  • Year 3: $100,726
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,660
  • Year 2: $61,728
  • Year 3: $71,074
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,579
  • Year 2: $55,594
  • Year 3: $65,574
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,254
  • Year 2: $57,422
  • Year 3: $60,602
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,123
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $55,627
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,644
  • Year 3: $54,835
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,681
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $51,356
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,716
  • Year 2: $51,690
  • Year 3: $50,246
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,148
  • Year 2: $45,767
  • Year 3: $49,334
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,098
  • Year 2: $41,342
  • Year 3: $48,118

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