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Early childhood education programs in Maine

8 early childhood programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

8 schools offer these early childhood education programs, and Maine has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Childcare workers look after children's needs and help their early development. What they need varies by state and employer, from no formal education to a certificate in early childhood education; most often states ask for the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, which takes coursework, experience and a period of being observed working with children.1 The CDA takes a high school diploma or GED, 120 hours of early childhood education, 480 hours of work with the age group you choose within three years, a portfolio and the CDA exam.2

In Maine, 3 of the 8 programs take students without a high school diploma and 5 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 8 programs here are early childhood education (associate degree, 3 programs), early childhood education program (level not stated, 2 programs), CDA (Child Development Associate) course (2 programs) and child care or preschool certificate (1 program).

See the 8 programs

How much do early childhood education programs cost in Maine?

$2,178 to $4,624 is what most early childhood programs in Maine cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 7 programs with a price. All of them: $1,275 to $5,631

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
76%
Earned a year, estimated
about $28,100
Length
Not reported
None of the 8 programs report it

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Maine may also offer early childhood education programs. How these figures are made

Are there free early childhood education programs in Maine?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 8 early childhood programs in Maine approved for WIOA funding

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Kind of program
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8 programs

  • Early childhood education (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Early Childhood Education

    Southern Maine Community College

    South Portland

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Southern Maine Community College, South PortlandEarly childhood education (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$28,900
    Price if you pay yourself$4,896

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Early Childhood Education at Southern Maine Community College
    More details about Early Childhood Education at Southern Maine Community College
    Finished
    35%
    Working at 6 months
    85%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,234
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $2,800
    Students counted
    84
    Earned a year, estimated
    $28,900
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,896
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3
    Program website, Early Childhood Education at Southern Maine Community College

  • Early childhood education program (level not stated)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Early Childhood Education

    Central Maine Community College

    Auburn

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Central Maine Community College, AuburnEarly childhood education program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$24,300
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Early Childhood Education at Central Maine Community College
    More details about Early Childhood Education at Central Maine Community College
    Finished
    31%
    Working at 6 months
    76%
    Earned in a quarter
    $6,071
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    58
    Earned a year, estimated
    $24,300
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Early Childhood Education at Central Maine Community College

  • Early childhood education (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Early Childhood Education

    Eastern Maine Community College

    Bangor

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Eastern Maine Community College, BangorEarly childhood education (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$28,100
    Price if you pay yourself$4,352

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    School website, Early Childhood Education at Eastern Maine Community College
    More details about Early Childhood Education at Eastern Maine Community College
    Finished
    35%
    Working at 6 months
    85%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,032
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    50
    Earned a year, estimated
    $28,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,352
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3
    School website, Early Childhood Education at Eastern Maine Community College

  • Child care or preschool certificateHybridNo diploma needed

    Education- Early Childhood

    Kennebec Valley Community College

    Fairfield

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Kennebec Valley Community College, FairfieldChild care or preschool certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$31,900
    Price if you pay yourself$5,631
    School website, Education- Early Childhood at Kennebec Valley Community College
    More details about Education- Early Childhood at Kennebec Valley Community College
    Finished
    52%
    Working at 6 months
    61%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,973
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    44
    Earned a year, estimated
    $31,900
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,631
    School website, Education- Early Childhood at Kennebec Valley Community College

  • Early childhood education program (level not stated)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Early Childhood Education

    Northern Maine Community College

    Presque Isle

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Northern Maine Community College, Presque IsleEarly childhood education program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$27,200
    Price if you pay yourself$2,856

    4 students trained with WIOA funding

    School website, Early Childhood Education at Northern Maine Community College
    More details about Early Childhood Education at Northern Maine Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    73%
    Earned in a quarter
    $6,805
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    14
    Earned a year, estimated
    $27,200
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,856
    students trained with WIOA funding
    4
    School website, Early Childhood Education at Northern Maine Community College

  • CDA (Child Development Associate) courseIn personNo diploma needed

    CDA Development Center

    CDA Development Center

    South Portland

    No diploma needed

    CDA Development Center, South PortlandCDA (Child Development Associate) courseIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,275
    Program website, CDA Development Center at CDA Development Center
    More details about CDA Development Center at CDA Development Center
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,275
    Program website, CDA Development Center at CDA Development Center

  • CDA (Child Development Associate) courseOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    ELL Child Development Associate (CDA) Training

    Portland Adult Education

    Based in Portland, ME

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Portland Adult Education, based in Portland, MECDA (Child Development Associate) courseOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    School website, ELL Child Development Associate (CDA) Training at Portland Adult Education
    More details about ELL Child Development Associate (CDA) Training at Portland Adult Education
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,500
    School website, ELL Child Development Associate (CDA) Training at Portland Adult Education

  • Early childhood education (associate degree)HybridNo diploma needed

    Pre-Elementary/Early Childhood/Kindergarten Teacher Educa

    Washington County Community College

    Calais

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Washington County Community College, CalaisEarly childhood education (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,034
    Program website, Pre-Elementary/Early Childhood/Kindergarten Teacher Educa at Washington County Community College
    More details about Pre-Elementary/Early Childhood/Kindergarten Teacher Educa at Washington County Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,400
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $3,034
    Program website, Pre-Elementary/Early Childhood/Kindergarten Teacher Educa at Washington County Community College

How to pay for early childhood education programs in Maine

WIOA funding can pay for early childhood education programs in Maine

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for early childhood education programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for early childhood education programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Early childhood education programs in Maine

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
6th of 33
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less
12 of 20
early childhood programs here, against the typical state's 8
8 vs 8

State comparisons use the same figures as the early childhood education programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Early childhood education programs in Portland, Lewiston, Bangor and other Maine cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 3 in smaller cities and towns and 1 online.

Other training in Maine

How early childhood education programs compare with the rest of education and social services: Child care and social services training in Maine

Where the Maine early childhood education program numbers come from

Which Maine early childhood education programs are on this list?

These are the early childhood education programs Maine approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Maine offers.

How the prices and results of Maine early childhood education programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about early childhood education programs in Maine

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Childcare Workers
  2. Council for Professional Recognition: CDA Credentialing Process Overview (February 2026)
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List