The University of Maine system has seen a drop in enrollment over the last several years.  Following a nationwide trend of high school students choosing not to attend institutions of higher learning, the system’s enrollment dropped 3.4% from 2017-2021.  Some cite this as a consequence of the years-long pandemic that forced most students online or off of their campuses.  This year, 25,882 students were admitted to the UMaine system and only 4,041 have enrolled so far.

Nationwide, college enrollment has dropped by about 1.4 million students.

In a similar vein, the Maine Community College System has seen lower enrollment in the same timeframe as the University of Maine System, with around 2,000 fewer students enrolling.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maine System Robert Placido says that while they certainly aren’t pleased about the lower enrollment, it isn’t a long-term concern.  The University has made significant investments in many areas, including “millions in the student experience program. We are building new dorms, investing in labs, renovating, and updating facilities. We are also addressing to decline in Maine’s high school populations in several ways.”