← Back to State vs State

Maine vs Montana: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Maine offers a modest scholarship climate with fewer opportunities, while Montana presents a slightly higher average award size and more options for applicants.

State vs State

State A

Maine

State B

Montana

Quick comparison

MetricMaineMontana
Active scholarships in catalog6133
Avg. award (where known)$2,640$2,639
Max indexed award$20,000$25,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

Maine and Montana present distinct scholarship climates for applicants in 2026. Maine offers a total of 50 grants with an average award size of $2,546, while Montana has 27 grants available with a higher average award size of approximately $2,708. The maximum scholarship amounts are $20,000 in Maine and $25,000 in Montana, indicating a competitive landscape in both states.

Top universities providing scholarships in Maine include the Finance Authority of Maine and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine, while Montana's notable institutions include the Montana Coaches Association and the Montana Federation of Garden Clubs.

Final verdict explanation

ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 61 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Maine alongside about 33 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Montana using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing Maine campuses against Montana footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.

After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.

Top Scholarship Providers in Maine

Ranked by number of active scholarships

View all scholarships

Top Scholarship Providers in Montana

Ranked by number of active scholarships

View all scholarships

Match workspace

Find scholarships that fit your profile

Find My Scholarships

Scholarship climate by state

Maine

Maine's scholarship climate is characterized by a smaller number of grants and lower average award sizes, making it suitable for applicants seeking localized funding opportunities.

Montana

Montana's scholarship environment offers slightly more funding options and higher average awards, appealing to applicants looking for greater financial support.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

Maine

Median household income

$73,437

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,535

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

24.20/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$51,430

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 9.31 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

middle indicator band

SVI counties

16

ADI counties

16

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 16 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 16 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Montana

Median household income

$69,565

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,129

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

23.91/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$48,740

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 36.77 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

lower indicator band

ADI band

middle indicator band

SVI counties

56

ADI counties

56

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 56 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 56 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.

Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

FAQ

What is the average scholarship amount in Maine?
The average scholarship amount in Maine is $2,546.
How many scholarships are available in Montana?
Montana has a total of 27 scholarships available.
What is the maximum scholarship amount in Montana?
The maximum scholarship amount in Montana is $25,000.
Which universities in Maine offer the most scholarships?
The Finance Authority of Maine and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine are among the top universities offering scholarships in Maine.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

More guides around this State vs State comparison

Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Maine and Montana.

Related scholarship articles

Related essay guides