Business Schools in Maine

Maine has just over 20 schools with business programs, and many more online programs available to state residents including undergraduate options and MBAs with concentrations that include banking, hospitality management, accounting, and logistics, among many others.

Marketing Degree Programs in Maine

State of Maine’s Marketing Industry

Maine ranked last (that’s #50) in Forbes’s 2012 list of “Best States for Business.” As if to compensate for its beautiful scenery, Maine also has a high corporate tax burden and a disappointing economic growth forecast. Economists at Chase Bank are predicting recovery to remain sluggish for the next several years.

But before marketers flee to the New Hampshire hills, there are some positives to note. Maine has a balanced mix of industries and its real GDP growth is forecast to firm up before long. The state’s Department of Labor projects that the unemployment rate will fall to 6.3% by 2015.

Some businesses are bucking the trend. Thirteen Maine names popped up on Inc.’s Top 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies in 2012, including Vets First Choice, a pharmacy service for pets; The Clean Bedroom, an organic bedding manufacturer; and Tilson Technology Management, which provides IT and telecommunications consulting.

Job Prospects for Maine Marketing Graduates

Job prospects for Maine marketing graduates are looking OK, but they’re not exactly stunning. For 2010-2020, the Center for Workforce Research and Information is predicting jobs for marketing managers will grow by 6.1% (45 openings), PR specialists by 14.3% (141 openings) and market research analysts by 27.5% (136 openings). These stats are considerably below national averages.

Portland is the undisputed center of business. Many of the big PR, event and advertising agencies – Pierce Promotions, VIA, MediaPower, KPI Direct – are based in the city by the sea. KPI Direct grew 291% from 2008-2011, adding nine more employees in the process.

Though competition for marketing jobs in Vacationland can be tough, your efforts may be worth it. Firms are employee-friendly – Garrand, an ad agency, was named one of Advertising Age’s 2010 “Best Places to Work” – and it’s within spitting distance of the great outdoors. CNBC ranked Maine #4 on its 2012 list of “Best States to Live.

Maine Schools for Marketing

There are six accredited marketing schools in Maine, not including liberal arts colleges like Bowdoin. Here are two to compare:

1. University of Maine – Orono (UMO) (https://umaine.edu/business/)

UMO’s Maine Business School offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in marketing and an MBA. All business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; the part-time MBA was ranked #132 by U.S. News & World Report in 2013.

The business school does its best to link students with real-world opportunities. Undergraduates can apply for internships to earn academic credit. Graduates have the option to participate in conferences and one of two international trips.

2. University of Southern Maine (USM) (https://usm.maine.edu/)

USM’s School of Business was ranked #296 in “Best Business Schools” by the Princeton Review in 2013 (the only Maine school to make the list). Like UMO, it is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Students may pursue either a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in marketing, or an MBA.

USM is located in Portland, a plus for those who need handy access to an airport. To connect students with Maine companies, the school houses three business centers. Internship programs are also available.

Professional Marketing Organizations in Maine

Maine has a population of around 1.4 million, so marketing organizations are pretty thin on the ground. If you’re new to the state and looking for networking opportunities, you might consider membership in the following:

• MEMA (https://www.maineenergymarketers.com/): Maine Energy Marketers Association
• SMPS Maine (http://smpsnne.org/): Society for Marketing Professional Services: Maine

Business Degree Programs in Maine

Business professionals with a bachelor’s degree in finance, marketing, management, and accounting, along with business leaders with extensive experience and the expertise that comes with holding an MBA, all work together to drive every aspect of Maine’s economy.

Small-to-medium sized businesses make a significant contribution to Maine’s economy, supporting jobs for accountants and auditors, HR specialists, operations managers and much more. In fact, according to the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA), 32,069 Maine-based small businesses employ nearly three-fifths of the state’s private sector workforce.  MBA holders and bachelor’s degree recipients are among the entrepreneurs that have made the state’s small business community a significant player in local, regional and even international markets.

According to the SBA, the following industries make up the majority of Maine’s small business employers (small business firm employers are defined as having between 1-499 employees):

• Construction – 4,712 employer firms
• Retail Trade – 4,273 employer firms
• Accommodation and Food Services – 3,444 employer firms
• Other services (except public administration) – 3,379 employer firms
• Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services – 3,214 employer firms

Maine’s National and Multinational Corporations

While many marketing specialists, accountants, and other business professionals work for Maine’s small businesses, a large number of business school graduates support the global business powerhouses headquartered in the state. The following Maine-based companies are some of the highest grossing in the state:

• L.L. Bean in Freeport – $1.56 billion in annual revenue
• Idexx Laboratories, Inc. in Westbrook – $1.38 billion in annual revenue
• WEX Inc. in South Portland – $717.5 million in annual revenue
• The Cianbro Companies in Pittsfield – $169.5 million in annual revenue
• Olympia Sport Center, Inc. in Westbrook – $157.6 million in annual revenue

The following salary statistics were reported by the US Bureau for Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) in 2014:

• Sales managers – $98,810 average annual income
• Marketing managers – $93,680 average annual income
• General and operations managers – $88,450 average annual income
• Financial analysts – $73,600 average annual income
• Sales Representatives (Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products) – $78,160 average annual income

Additionally, the presence of large companies in Maine provides the opportunity for business-educated professionals to work their way up the corporate ladder. L.L. Bean CEO Christopher McCormick, who graduated from Fairfield University Dolan School of Business in 1977, began working at L.L Bean in 1983 as an advertising manager. After 18 years of working for the company and advancing to a position as chief marketing officer, he moved into the company’s CEO position in 2001.

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Thomas College

The primary Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Thomas is a blend of classroom learning and practice. You’ll attend lectures, but will also spend time working with businesses, developing leadership and communication skills and building a valuable network. The school offers the curriculum as a full-time fast-paced program and through a blend of online and evening classes, making it possible for you to work while you earn your degree. In addition, the school also offers an MBA with a concentration in human resource management. The school has invested in creating a supportive environment that will facilitate your success after you complete any of these programs, sponsoring networking events, guest lectures by area leaders and workshops, as well as providing individual career counseling and admission to professional development sessions.

University of Maine

The University of Maine calls their MBA program “non-traditional,” and it puts experience first. Experimental, hands-on, real-world learning are at the center of the program, which aims to give you practical business skills and the ability to think strategically, adapt to change and initiate innovation. Core classes cover the foundations of business and prepare students for the workshops, internship and international study trip that are a required part of the program. You can pursue a general MBA or specialize in accounting, management, finance or business and sustainability. When pursued full time, this program usually takes two years to complete; however, you can accelerate your pace of study in some circumstances. Alternately, you can pursue the degree part time over a longer period that fits with your schedule.

Husson University

The College of Business at Husson University allows you to earn an MBA on campus, online or through a blend of both approaches. Online and in person, courses are highly interactive, with an emphasis on analysis, decision-making and putting ideas to work. The on-campus classes are offered via evening and weekend sessions on the main campus in Bangor, as well as at the South Portland and Presque Isle locations; the distance learning option puts the class schedule almost entirely in your hands. In addition to a general MBA, you can pursue a concentration in health care management, non-profit management or hospitality and tourism.

St. Josephs College

The Leadership MBA program at St. Josephs emphasizes leadership, critical thinking and social responsibility. The curriculum is offered primarily through an online format with optional campus visits that can help you finish within 18 months. The program is designed for self-motivated adults with the discipline to complete the 42 hour curriculum. The online format involves significant participation, requiring that students demonstrate mastery of the subject matter through engagement in class. The curriculum includes traditional subjects such as finance, qualitative and quantitative analysis and communications, as well as topics such as ethics and interpersonal relationships.

University of Southern Maine

The University of Southern Maine MBA was designed in partnership with the business community to give you practical skills that are in high demand. The curriculum has been designed around working professionals: courses are offered in the evening year round so that you can keep working while you earn your degree. The first 30 hours are taken in core general business courses, while the remaining nine hours are completed in your chosen concentration: accounting, finance, sustainability or health management and policy. Your coursework is complemented through business-sponsored research projects, internships and workshops dealing with real business challenges. Southern Maine’s MBA program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

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