2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to Maine College of Health Professions

Open-data reference.

We found 15 schools structurally similar to Maine College of Health Professions that cost less. 12 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

Maine College of Health Professions

Lewiston, Maine · Private Nonprofit

$26,312
Net Price
$79,840
Median Earnings (10yr)
71.4%
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to Maine College of Health Professions

Maine College of Health Professions posts an average net price of $26,312 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with Maine College of Health Professions across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 15 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $13,127, achieved by Belanger School of Nursing at $13,185. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 12 of the 15 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above Maine College of Health Professions’s $79,840, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $81,838.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

15
Alternatives Found
$13,127
Max Savings
12
Better Value Options
67%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Belanger School of Nursing $80k 2. Unitek College $80k 3. Capitol Technology Universit $85k 4. Ohio Northern University $81k 5. Heritage Valley Health Syste $80k Compared to Maine College of Health Professions: $80k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Belanger School of Nursing
Schenectady, NY · Private Nonprofit
$13,185 -$13,127 $79,677 N/A 67%
Unitek College
Fremont, CA · Private For-Profit
$25,179 -$1,133 $79,550 71.0% 66%
Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$22,102 -$4,210 $85,035 44.4% 62%
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$24,478 -$1,834 $80,928 74.9% 62%
Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing
McKees Rocks, PA · Private Nonprofit
$23,656 -$2,656 $79,831 N/A 55%
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO · Public Better Value
$16,298 -$10,014 $82,957 64.0% 50%
Emory University
Atlanta, GA · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$22,585 -$3,727 $80,137 91.4% 50%
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$25,314 -$998 $79,966 89.5% 50%
Colby College
Waterville, ME · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$17,180 -$9,132 $80,490 89.5% 49%
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$23,149 -$3,163 $80,257 93.2% 49%
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$17,379 -$8,933 $81,400 91.5% 48%
Unitek College
Hayward, CA · Private For-Profit Better Value
$19,130 -$7,182 $87,877 N/A 46%
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide
Daytona Beach, FL · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$18,725 -$7,587 $84,131 21.1% 46%
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$14,398 -$11,914 $82,735 95.4% 46%
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$18,425 -$7,887 $82,592 74.0% 46%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than Maine College of Health Professions are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to Maine College of Health Professions?
We found 15 schools similar to Maine College of Health Professions that cost less. The closest match is Belanger School of Nursing with 67% similarity and a net price of $13,185.
What is the ROI of attending Maine College of Health Professions?
Maine College of Health Professions has an average net price of $26,312. Graduates earn a median of $79,840 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 3.0x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than Maine College of Health Professions for less money?
Yes — 12 of 15 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Capitol Technology University costs $22,102 (saving $4,210) with median earnings of $85,035.
What is the cheapest alternative to Maine College of Health Professions?
The most affordable similar school is Belanger School of Nursing at $13,185, saving $13,127 compared to Maine College of Health Professions. It has a 67% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 15 alternatives have an average median earnings of $81,838 compared to Maine College of Health Professions's $79,840. On average, alternatives match or exceed this school's earnings. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.