Maine has three accelerated nursing options for applicants with a previous non-nursing bachelor’s degree. Programs take 12–15 months, with current tuition figures ranging from an estimated $24,605 for Maine residents at USM to a $68,940 baseline estimate at UNE; Saint Joseph’s publishes $54,900 in tuition.
Those figures cover the nursing sequence and exclude required fees, prerequisites and living costs.
Some highlights include:
12-Month Completion at UNE
University of New England offers Maine’s shortest accelerated nursing sequence: 53 credits across three consecutive semesters. Students study on campus in Portland, with interprofessional learning and a final preceptorship.
Online Coursework with Two Campus Immersions
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine combines online coursework with in-person clinical rotations and two required immersion weeks in Standish. Its 15-month program accepts residents of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Public-University Tuition and Mid-Program CNA Eligibility
University of Southern Maine offers a 15-month program with estimated Maine-resident tuition of $24,605, before required fees and other expenses. Students become eligible for CNA certification halfway through the program, creating an opportunity to pursue paid patient-care work while completing their nursing studies.
Last Updated: October 14, 2026
Maine ABSN Programs at a Glance
| School | Tuition | Duration | GPA | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Southern Maine Portland, ME | Est. $24,605 resident | 15 months | 3.0 | May |
University of New England Portland, ME | Est. $68,940 baseline | 12 months | 3.0 | May |
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Standish, ME | $54,900 published | 15 months | 3.0 | Summer, fall |
How to Compare Maine ABSN Programs
Begin with your ability to attend classes and clinical placements, then compare total academic charges and application timing. All three programs list a 3.0 admission GPA, but they use different GPA definitions and prerequisite checklists.
Best Maine ABSN Programs by Goal
For a 12-month nursing sequence: University of New England
University of New England completes its 53-credit nursing curriculum in three consecutive semesters beginning in May. Its interprofessional learning and final preceptorship may appeal to applicants who want to study alongside a broader health-professions community.
For online coursework: Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine offers live and independent online coursework, 600 clinical hours and two required immersion weeks in Standish. Enrollment is open to residents of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont; clinical learning remains in person.
For Maine-resident public tuition and CNA eligibility: USM
University of Southern Maine combines an estimated $24,605 in resident tuition with CNA eligibility halfway through the program. Its final 168-hour RN-precepted practicum gives students a culminating clinical experience; outside work must fit the assigned class and clinical schedule.
Program Format and Attendance
UNE is campus-based in Portland. USM’s program is also mainly in person in Portland, with online delivery limited to a couple of courses across its four-semester sequence.
Saint Joseph’s hybrid format reduces routine campus attendance, but it requires travel for two immersion weeks and clinical rotations. The program estimates a 48–60-hour weekly commitment and advises students against working during enrollment.
For each school, include clinical transportation and housing in your plan. An online theory course does not make clinical placements remote or guarantee a placement near a particular address.
Admissions and Prerequisite Differences
| School | Admission GPA | Prerequisite distinctions |
|---|---|---|
3.0 in most recently earned degree | Statistics, A&P I/II and microbiology with lab; C minimum. A&P labs not required for admission. | |
3.0 in prior bachelor’s degree | Eight subjects; B− in math/science. Chemistry with lab or nutrition; science/math within 10 years. | |
3.0 cumulative undergraduate | Psychology, A&P I/II, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition and statistics; in-person science labs. |
All three require A&P, microbiology and statistics, but chemistry is not a universal Maine ABSN prerequisite. UNE accepts chemistry with lab or nutrition; USM’s initial admission checklist does not require chemistry.
USM recommends Pathophysiology and Human Nutrition before enrollment and awards an admissions-evaluation point for each completed by October 1. They are supportive courses rather than initial admission prerequisites.
Saint Joseph’s science courses must be within 10 years, with in-person labs. Its admissions checklist requires C or better in the listed subjects and C+ in nutrition; UNE requires B− or better in prerequisite math and science.
Application materials differ: UNE uses NursingCAS with an essay and two references; Saint Joseph’s lists three recommendations, an essay, résumé and SPANS assessment; USM requires its supplemental nursing form and essay.
Start Dates and Application Deadlines
| School | Final application timing | Start |
|---|---|---|
October 1; materials must be received by the deadline. | May | |
April 1, 2027 for May 2027; rolling review until full. | May 2027 | |
No final cohort cutoff published in the checked ABSN sources. | Summer and fall |
USM’s regular October 1, 2026 deadline for May 2027 has passed. Its published annual cycle opens applications in June, with decisions by early January. Prerequisites may still be in progress at application if completed before the May start.
UNE’s April 1 date is a final deadline, but rolling review means the class can fill earlier. Applicants with one or two prerequisites in progress may be considered conditionally.
Saint Joseph’s identifies summer and fall intakes without a public final ABSN cutoff. General online course registration dates should not be treated as nursing-cohort application deadlines.
Tuition and Costs
| School / rate | Tuition | Required fees shown separately |
|---|---|---|
Est. $24,605 | Est. $7,514.50 + $200 enrollment | |
USM — eligible NEBHE | Est. $42,959 | Est. $7,514.50 + $200 enrollment |
USM — other nonresident | Est. $72,219 | Est. $7,514.50 + $200 enrollment |
Est. $68,940 baseline | Est. $3,120 service fees; insurance and possible overloads additional | |
$54,900 | $4,000 published program fees |
USM estimate: 66.5 catalog credits at 2026–27 nursing Level 3 rates of $370, $646 or $1,086 per credit. Mandatory comprehensive, technology and activity fees total $113 per credit, or $7,514.50 across 66.5 credits; the one-time enrollment fee adds $200.
USM lists Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont residents as eligible for the accelerated nursing NEBHE rate, subject to its rules. Maine residents and Canadians use the resident rate.
UNE baseline estimate: three full-time semesters at $22,980 each, plus estimated service fees of three × $1,040. This assumes no semester exceeds 18 credits; current overloads cost $1,625 per additional credit. Mandatory malpractice insurance is $55 annually, and other insurance requirements can add costs.
Saint Joseph’s published pricing: 61 credits at $900 = $54,900 tuition, plus $4,000 program fees, for $58,900 before prerequisites and personal expenses.
Current-rate estimates hold published rates constant across the sequence. Future increases, extra courses or individual transfer decisions can change the bill; nursing supplies, clearances, travel and living expenses are additional.
Clinical Training and NCLEX Outcomes
Saint Joseph’s specifies 600 clinical hours and provides a placement coordinator to help secure sites and preceptors. USM assigns its own placements, generally within about an hour of Portland, and specifies 168 hours for the final practicum; that is not the degree’s cumulative clinical total.
UNE integrates skills labs, simulation, acute-care and community learning, and a final preceptorship.
UNE reports a 98% first-time NCLEX pass rate for its nursing students in 2024, without identifying accelerated students separately. Compare outcomes only when the year, credential and student population match; undated marketing percentages do not establish an ABSN-specific ranking.
Maine ABSN Program Summaries
St Josephs College ABSN Program
Standish | $54,900 | 15 Months
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine offers a 15-month hybrid ABSN with 61 nursing credits, online coursework, 600 clinical hours and two campus immersions in Standish. Published tuition is $54,900, with $4,000 in additional program fees.
Program highlights
- Summer and fall intakes; the program does not publish final cohort application cutoffs.
- Open to residents of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
- Clinical placement coordination is included; minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0.
University of New England ABSN Program
Portland | $68,940 | 12 Months
UNE’s campus-based 12-month ABSN in Portland starts in May and includes 53 nursing credits, interprofessional learning and a final preceptorship. Baseline tuition is estimated at $68,940 using three full-time semesters at 2026–27 rates; fees and possible overload charges are additional.
Program highlights
- April 1 final application deadline, with rolling review and earlier closure if full.
- Requires a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, 3.0 prior-degree GPA and eight prerequisite subjects.
- ACEN-accredited and Maine Board-approved; the university reports a 98% nursing-program first-time NCLEX pass rate for 2024, without separating ABSN students.
University of Southern Maine ABSN Program
Portland | $24,605 | 15 Months
USM’s mainly in-person accelerated nursing degree in Portland spans 15 months and 66.5 major credits, beginning each May. Maine-resident tuition is estimated at $24,605 using 2026–27 nursing rates; mandatory fees are estimated at $7,514.50 before the enrollment fee and other expenses.
Program highlights
- October 1 application deadline; the regular May 2027 deadline has passed.
- CNA eligibility halfway through and a final 168-hour RN-precepted practicum.
- Separate resident, NEBHE and nonresident nursing tuition rates; minimum most-recent-degree GPA is 3.0.
Programs in Nearby States
Explore Massachusetts ABSN schools or compare accelerated nursing options across New England.