Maine USM vs Lesley University

When it comes to higher education, University of Southern Maine (USM) and Lesley University stand out as two distinct institutions with unique offerings. USM, a public university located in Portland, Maine, boasts an acceptance rate of 88%, making it a more accessible option for students. Lesley University, a private university with campuses in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has a lower acceptance rate of 72%, indicating a more selective admissions process. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors including Education, Psychology, and Business. While USM has a larger student body, with over 9,000 undergraduate students, Lesley University maintains a smaller, more intimate community with approximately 2,500 undergraduate students. Additionally, USM's graduation rate of 58% is slightly higher than Lesley University's 55%. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these
Lesley University logo

Lesley University

University of Southern Maine logo

University of Southern Maine

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Portland, Maine
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 65.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.9% 87.0%
Application fees
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 2,942 5,397
Total number of admissions given out 2,558 4,695
Admitted students who chose to enroll 280 895
Yield rate 10.9% 19.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA 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 $41,775
In state: $23,842

Out of state: $37,842
Average net price $31,928 $9,793
Tuition $29,200
In state: $8,064

Out of state: $22,064
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,060

Meal plan: $6,900
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)

100.0%
Average amount $16,316
92.0%
Average amount $8,886
Students receiving federal student loan 59.0%
Average amount $5,124
45.0%
Average amount $4,969
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $15,411
6.0%
Average amount $10,975

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,757
Men 23.4% Women 76.6%
5,956
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students 2,253
Men 13.6% Women 86.4%
2,040
Men 25.3% Women 74.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 23.4%
International students 3.7% 1.2%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 799 1,189
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Maine New Hampshire Mississippi Vermont Connecticut

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • 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 60.5% 34.5%
Dropout rate 12.4% 33.0%
Transferred out 26.3% 30.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,807
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $80,016
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,822
  • Year 2: $53,298
  • Year 3: $57,561
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,186
  • Year 2: $50,606
  • Year 3: $57,321
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,259
  • Year 2: $51,690
  • Year 3: $56,263
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,742
  • Year 2: $49,855
  • Year 3: $55,299
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,191
  • Year 2: $44,595
  • Year 3: $50,138
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,470
  • Year 2: $46,869
  • Year 3: $49,494
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,051
  • Year 2: $41,353
  • Year 3: $44,028
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,433
  • Year 3: $38,957
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,949
  • Year 2: $20,687
  • Year 3: $37,894
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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