FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a “Best Bang for the Buck” college and for its outstanding contributions to the public good by the 2019 Washington Monthly College Guide and Rankings.

This is the tenth year in a row UMF has been recognized by Washington Monthly as a smart, well-run college that helps students earn a high-quality diploma at an affordable price while instilling in them a sense of service.

The University of Maine Farmington has been a fixture of Franklin County since 1864. Submitted photo

This year, UMF has been ranked number 6 out of 200 Top Bachelor’s Colleges in the U.S. by Washington Monthly for excellence in contributions to the public good. It is the only Maine College in the top 18 institutions in this category.

In addition, UMF has been ranked number 60 out of nearly 400 colleges in the Northeast as a “Best Bang for the Buck” college for its commitment to affordability, strong student outcomes and upward mobility.

This exclusive list ranks schools according to how well they help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. The ranking is based on multiple factors including: “net” price, graduation rate, percentage of first-gen students and students’ post-graduate earning ability to pay off their student loans.

“We are so pleased with this national recognition of what makes UMF a standout among Universities,” said Edward Serna, UMF president. “Since it opened its doors in 1864, Farmington has been committed to preparing its students for success in their careers and in their service to others. We are extremely proud of our students and the difference they make every day in the State of Maine and beyond.”

Top-ranked colleges in contributions to the public good need to be exceptional across three equally weighted portions: social mobility, research and community, and national service. Students at UMF have the opportunity to be involved in service and student engagement through internships, volunteering, leadership, service learning, research and more.

One of the leading voices of independent journalism since 1969, the Washington Monthly created the college guide to provide honest and practical information needed to make sense of the college process.

Washington Monthly’s rankings are by Carnegie classification and are based on a final sample of 1,431 colleges that includes public, private nonprofit and for-profit colleges.

The complete 2019 Washington Monthly rankings can be seen at washingtonmonthly.com/2019college-guide.