2026 College Rankings

Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

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First-year retention rates measure the percentage of first-year students who come back to campus for a second year. This is an indicator of how happy students are generally with their decision to attend that institution as less students decide to drop out or transfer to another school.

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Rank	Institution	First Year Retention Rate	Acceptance Rate	SAT Score	Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price	Median Starting Salary	Save
1	Thomas College	77	96.3	800 – 1,010	19126	40495	#1 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference Thomas College Waterville, ME Located in Waterville, Thomas College accepts 96% of applicants and charges unknown for undergraduate applications. About 98% of attending students currently receive institutional grant aid. At Thomas College, there is a 77% first year retention rate and around 43% of students will earn a degree within four years....Read more First Year Retention Rate 77 % 2.5% Acceptance Rate 96.3% SAT Score 800 – 1,010 Avg. Net Price $19,126 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $40,495
2	University of Maine at Farmington	73	96.72	1,000 – 1,250	17451	31513	#2 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference University of Maine at Farmington Farmington, ME The University of Maine at Farmington opened in 1864, originally known as the Western State Normal School. It underwent several name changes over the following century. The school newspaper is “The Farmington Flyer,” and the Beavers wear maroon, gold, and gray, and compete in the North Atlantic Conference. First Year Retention Rate 73 % 7.6% Acceptance Rate 96.7% SAT Score 1,000 – 1,250 Avg. Net Price $17,451 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $31,513
3	Lesley University	72	96.87	1,010 – 1,220	32587	40150	#3 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference Lesley University Cambridge, MA Opened in 1909 as Lesley School, a women’s college for future kindergarten teachers, Lesley University began admitting men in 2005. Today, women still make up a majority of the student body. The school’s motto is “I Would Have Perished Had I Not Persisted,” or “Perissem Ni Perstitissem” in Latin. First Year Retention Rate 72 % 6.5% Acceptance Rate 96.9% SAT Score 1,010 – 1,220 Avg. Net Price $32,587 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $40,150
4	SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill	69	84.02	990 – 1,170	18140	37901	#4 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY Located in Cobleskill, SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill accepts 84% of applicants. They require $50 for undergraduate applications. Approximately 87% of attending students will receive grant aid from the school....Read more First Year Retention Rate 69 % 4.2% Acceptance Rate 84.0% SAT Score 990 – 1,170 Avg. Net Price $18,140 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $37,901
5	SUNY Polytechnic Institute	69	81.35	1,040 – 1,370	14782	58662	#5 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY Found in Utica, SUNY Polytechnic Institute accepted 81% students who applied to the school in the last admissions cycle. They charge $50 for undergraduate applications. About 100% of students attending SUNY Polytechnic Institute currently receive institutional grant aid to make attending college more affordable....Read more First Year Retention Rate 69 % 1.5% Acceptance Rate 81.4% SAT Score 1,040 – 1,370 Avg. Net Price $14,782 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $58,662
6	University of Maine at Presque Isle	58	99.87	810 – 1,040	8526	33793	#6 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference University of Maine at Presque Isle Presque Isle, ME Found in Presque Isle, the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s acceptance rate is 100% and requires unknown for undergraduate applications and . About 74% of students attending the University of Maine at Presque Isle will receive grant aid from the school....Read more First Year Retention Rate 58 % 20.5% Acceptance Rate 99.9% SAT Score 810 – 1,040 Avg. Net Price $8,526 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $33,793
7	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	57	89.01	920 – 1,160	16371	42826	#7 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference SUNY College of Technology at Delhi Delhi, NY Found in Delhi, SUNY College of Technology at Delhi’s acceptance rate is 89%. They require $50 for undergraduate applications. Approximately 82% of students at SUNY College of Technology at Delhi currently receive grant aid from the school. The first year retention rate is 57%....Read more First Year Retention Rate 57 % 16.2% Acceptance Rate 89.0% SAT Score 920 – 1,160 Avg. Net Price $16,371 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $42,826

School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.

2026 College Rankings

Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

About

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

Thomas CollegeWaterville, ME

77 % 2.5%

96.3%

800 – 1,010

$19,126

$40,495

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

University of Maine at FarmingtonFarmington, ME

73 % 7.6%

96.7%

1,000 – 1,250

$17,451

$31,513

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

Lesley UniversityCambridge, MA

72 % 6.5%

96.9%

1,010 – 1,220

$32,587

$40,150

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at CobleskillCobleskill, NY

69 % 4.2%

84.0%

990 – 1,170

$18,140

$37,901

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY

69 % 1.5%

81.4%

1,040 – 1,370

$14,782

$58,662

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

University of Maine at Presque IslePresque Isle, ME

58 % 20.5%

99.9%

810 – 1,040

$8,526

$33,793

2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – North Atlantic Conference

SUNY College of Technology at DelhiDelhi, NY

57 % 16.2%

89.0%

920 – 1,160

$16,371

$42,826

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Thomas College
Waterville, ME

77 %
2.5%

University of Maine at Farmington
Farmington, ME

73 %
7.6%

Lesley University
Cambridge, MA

72 %
6.5%

SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
Cobleskill, NY

69 %
4.2%

SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY

69 %
1.5%

University of Maine at Presque Isle
Presque Isle, ME

58 %
20.5%

SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY

57 %
16.2%