Maine College of Art & Design

Private · Moderately Selective · ME

Photo: Artseducation (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationME · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads415

Student:faculty8:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate47.4%

6-yr grad rate51.5%

Drop-out rate28.3%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$43k

Out-of-state tuition$43k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity22.4%

Gender diversity78.1%

International0%

Identity—

Overview

Maine College of Art & Design is a small studio art college in downtown Portland, Maine, housed in a historic former department store building in the city's arts district. It grants BFA degrees in fields such as illustration, painting, and graphic design, with Portland's galleries and creative businesses functioning as an extension of the classroom.

Academics

Instruction follows the studio-and-critique model standard at small art colleges, with focused BFA tracks rather than a broad liberal-arts curriculum. Small class sizes mean students work closely with faculty who are practicing artists and designers.

Campus & student life

The college has no traditional quad; its historic building anchors student life in the middle of downtown Portland, steps from the city's galleries and design studios. Students are woven into the local arts scene, including gallery walks and exhibitions that double as informal extensions of coursework.

Worth knowing

The building itself, a converted early-twentieth-century department store, is a landmark in Portland's arts district, and the school's small size means students across different studio disciplines tend to know each other well.

meca.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate76.1%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying