Maine · Verified September 2026
MPH Programs in Maine
Where Can You Earn an MPH in Maine?
2 schools in Maine offer 2 MPH programs we verified, including University of New England and University of Southern Maine. 1 can be taken online.
How Public Health Works in Maine
Maine runs public health through a state agency and a district map rather than county health departments. Maine CDC, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, divides the state into nine public health districts. Eight are geographic, from York (District 1) and Cumberland (District 2) in the south to Downeast (District 7, Washington and Hancock counties) and Aroostook (District 8) in the north. The ninth is the Tribal Health District, set up in 2011 with Maine’s five tribal jurisdictions and drawn around Tribal Health Center service areas.
Each district has a coordinating council with an elected executive committee, and Maine CDC district liaisons coordinate training and projects with the local health officers that each municipality appoints. Maine has had local health officers since 1885. For an MPH graduate, that structure means the jobs are split between Maine CDC’s central programs and district-level planning and coordination roles, plus the hospitals, nonprofits and tribal health centers the districts work with.
Two Programs, Two Very Different Formats
Maine has just two MPH programs, both at CEPH-accredited schools, and they barely overlap.
The University of New England’s online MPH is fully online and asynchronous: no set class times, 42 credits, as few as 18 months, though most students take two to three years. You choose a concentration in epidemiology, global health, public health education and communication, or a generalist track. At $895 per credit, UNE puts the total at $37,590. UNE awarded 190 public health master’s degrees in 2022-23, by far the most in Maine, which reflects a national online enrollment rather than a Maine-only one.
The University of Southern Maine’s MPH is a 45-credit generalist degree taught hyflex in Portland: classes meet in person and stream live at the same time. Full time takes two years, part time three to four. It is the smaller program, with 26 public health master’s degrees awarded in 2022-23.
Maine MPH Schools Compared
2 schools in Maine offer an MPH or a related public health master's degree. 2 are on the CEPH accredited list.
| School | MPH programs | Formats | CEPH | Lowest per credit | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of New EnglandBiddeford · Private nonprofit | 1 | Online | Accredited | $895 | 42 |
| University of Southern MainePortland · Public | 1 | Hybrid | Accredited | 45 |
"+" counts related public health master's degrees (MS, MSPH, MHS). Per-credit rates as each school publishes them, reviewed September 2026.
2 programs in Maine
- MPH
Master of Public Health (Online) at University of New England
University of New England · BiddefordOnlineNo GRE4 concentrations- Credits
- 42
- Tuition
- $895/cr
- Length
- 2–3 yr
CEPH - MPH
Master of Public Health at University of Southern Maine
University of Southern Maine · PortlandHybridNo GRE- Credits
- 45
- Length
- 2 yr
CEPH
No programs match these filters.
Program facts come from each school's own program pages, reviewed September 2026. Tuition is the school's published figure with its basis; per-credit sorting uses programs that publish a per-credit rate. CEPH status comes from the CEPH accredited list.
What an MPH Costs in Maine
One Maine MPH publishes both a per-credit rate and its credits: estimated tuition at University of New England is $37,590 before fees.
| Program | Per credit | Credits | Estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of New England: Master of Public Health (online)Master of Public Health (online) | $895 | 42 | $37,590 |
Estimated tuition is the published per-credit rate times the published credits, before fees. Public schools usually charge non-residents more. Turn any program into a full cost and loan estimate with the MPH cost and loan calculator.
Largest Public Health Programs in Maine
By public health master's degrees awarded in 2022-23 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS), University of New England has Maine's largest program, followed by University of Southern Maine. Size tells you how many classmates, electives and alumni to expect, not how good a program is.
| School | Public health master's awarded, 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| University of New England | 190 |
| University of Southern Maine | 26 |
Public Health Pay in Maine
Among the public health jobs an MPH leads to, medical and health services managers earn the highest median pay in Maine, $120,320. Epidemiologists earn a median $68,850 (21% below u.s.), 38th of 43 states with a published figure, across 60 jobs.
| Job | Median | vs U.S. median | State rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epidemiologists | $68,850 | 21% below U.S. | 38th of 43 | 60 |
| Statisticians (including biostatisticians) | $85,680 | 19% below U.S. | 31st of 46 | 80 |
| Health education specialists | $58,300 | 9% below U.S. | 39th of 53 | 490 |
| Community health workers | $48,670 | 6% below U.S. | 35th of 52 | 360 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists | $97,640 | 8% above U.S. | 10th of 53 | 600 |
| Health information technologists and medical registrars | $50,320 | 26% below U.S. | 43rd of 51 | 200 |
| Medical and health services managers | $120,320 | 3% below U.S. | 24th of 54 | 2,450 |
Annual wages in Maine, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. A high median on few jobs describes a small market, so read pay beside the job count.
Online MPH Options for Maine Residents
You aren't limited to schools in Maine: 257 online MPH programs at schools in other states accept students nationwide. Before you apply, confirm on the school's site that it can enroll Maine residents online. These CEPH-accredited online programs have the lowest estimated tuition of any online MPH that publishes a per-credit rate and its credits:
| Program | Per credit | Estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston: Master of Public HealthTexas | $287 | $12,915 |
| University of West Florida: Master of Public Health (online)Florida | $386 | $16,206 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Master of Public HealthNevada | $383 | $18,013 |
| Georgia State University: Master of Public HealthGeorgia | $464 | $19,488 |
| SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University: Master of Public HealthNew York | $471 | $19,782 |
Compare every option on the online MPH programs page, or let the program matcher rank them for you.
What USM Costs You as a Resident or Non-Resident
USM publishes 2026-27 rates per credit hour, including $107 in mandatory fees. Maine residents (and Canadian students) pay $601 per credit hour for the MPH. Out-of-state MPH students pay a reduced $947 per credit hour, a rate USM gives to every out-of-state MPH student, not only New England residents. For comparison, USM’s standard out-of-state rate for other in-person graduate programs is $1,601 per credit hour, so the MPH discount is substantial if you’re moving to Maine for the degree.
UNE lists $895 per credit for 42 credits; USM’s rate already folds in fees and runs over 45 credits, so compare the two on your own total course load, not the per-credit headline. The affordable MPH programs page shows how both compare with lower-cost options nationwide.
Which Maine MPH Fits You
Choose USM if you live within reach of Portland, want live classes with faculty and classmates, and want field experience inside Maine: its fieldwork placements include state and local health departments, nonprofits, physician practices and health systems, and it offers paid research assistantships on faculty projects. It’s the stronger route if you want to build a Maine CDC or district-level network while you study.
Choose UNE if you need a schedule that moves around work or family, want a named concentration such as epidemiology or global health, or may leave Maine after graduating. Be ready to find your own practicum site and preceptor; UNE’s public health practice staff help, but the search is yours.
Neither program requires the GRE, and both take applications directly on the school’s site rather than through SOPHAS, which keeps application costs down. If neither format fits, the online MPH programs page compares options from other states that accept Maine residents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Out-of-State Students Pay More for USM's MPH?
Yes, but far less than for most USM graduate degrees. In 2026-27 every out-of-state MPH student gets a reduced rate of $947 per credit hour in tuition and mandatory fees against $601 for Maine and Canadian residents. The standard out-of-state rate for other in-person graduate programs is $1,601.
Is UNE's Online MPH Fully Online?
Yes. UNE's MPH is 100% online with asynchronous courses and no set class times. You still complete a practicum at a public health organization, and you are responsible for finding the site and preceptor, with help from UNE's public health practice staff.
How Is Public Health Organized in Maine?
Maine CDC, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, works through nine public health districts: eight geographic districts from York (District 1) to Aroostook (District 8), plus a Tribal Health District set up in 2011 with Maine's five tribal jurisdictions. Towns also appoint local health officers.
How Many MPH Programs Are in Maine?
We verified 2 MPH programs at 2 schools in Maine; 2 of those schools are CEPH accredited.
Which Maine Schools Have CEPH-Accredited Public Health Programs?
University of New England and University of Southern Maine.
Can Maine Residents Earn an MPH Online?
Yes. Beyond Maine's own programs, 257 online MPH programs at schools in other states are open to students nationwide; check each program's state authorization for Maine residents. Online MPH programs.
How Much Do Epidemiologists and Public Health Workers Earn in Maine?
Epidemiologists: median $68,850; Statisticians (including biostatisticians): median $85,680; Health education specialists: median $58,300 (BLS, May 2025).
Nearby States
Sources
- Official program pages of the 2 Maine schools listed, reviewed September 2026
- Council on Education for Public Health, accredited schools and programs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025