Maine vs Washington: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? Washington offers a more robust scholarship climate with higher average awards and more opportunities, making it suitable for applicants seeking larger financial support. Maine, while having fewer opportunities, may appeal to those looking for smaller, more targeted scholarships.
State A
Maine
State B
Washington
Quick comparison
| Metric | Maine | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 61 | 191 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $2,640 | $3,652 |
| Max indexed award | $20,000 | $25,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
In 2026, Maine presents a scholarship climate characterized by an average award size of $2,546 across 50 grants. The maximum award available is $20,000, with notable universities such as the Finance Authority of Maine and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine offering scholarships. Conversely, Washington boasts a more extensive scholarship landscape, with an average award of approximately $3,739 and a total of 124 grants available. The maximum award in Washington reaches $25,000, with prominent institutions like the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation leading the way.
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 191 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Washington 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 Washington 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
- 3 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 1 grant
- 1 grant
Top Scholarship Providers in Washington
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 27 grants
- 25 grants
- 17 grants
- 6 grants
- 2 grants
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Scholarship climate by state
Maine
Maine has a limited number of scholarships with a lower average award size, appealing to applicants seeking niche funding opportunities.
Washington
Washington offers a broader range of scholarships with higher average awards, making it attractive for applicants needing substantial financial support.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateMaine
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.
Washington
Median household income
$97,733
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,418
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
23.29/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$62,990
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 27.40 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
lower indicator band
SVI counties
39
ADI counties
39
- CDC SVI county data is available for 39 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 39 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?
How many scholarships are available in Washington?
What is the maximum scholarship amount in Washington?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Maine and Washington scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Maine and Washington.
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