2026 Best Value Creative Writing Schools in Maine
[Creative Writing](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/creative-writing/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value creative writing schools.
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2026 Best Value Creative Writing Schools in Maine
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the creative writing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Creative Writing Schools
University Of Southern Maine tops our 2026 list of the best value creative writing schools in Maine. Located in the city of Portland, University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $12,090 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,940. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $23,593. Creative Writing graduates of University Of Southern Maine earn a median of $43,673 early in their careers. Set against $23,593 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 79%.
University Of Maine At Farmington is a great value for students pursuing a degree in creative writing, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Maine At Farmington is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Farmington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,308, while out-of-state students pay about $23,878. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $25,703. Early-career creative writing graduates make about $35,414. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Colby College one of the best values for creative writing. Colby College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waterville. Students from in state pay about $69,600 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,016 to complete the creative writing program here. Early-career creative writing graduates make about $46,772. Set against $22,016 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 7% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
