Maine College of Art & Design

What Maine College of Art & Design does

Maine College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit higher education institution founded in 1882 and headquartered at 522 Congress Street in Portland, Maine's Arts District. The college specializes in visual arts and design education across five product lines: a four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts with eight majors (Animation and Game Art, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Textile and Fashion Design), graduate degrees (MFA in Studio Art, MAT in Teaching, and an online MAEd), three graduate certificates (Arts Leadership and Administration, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Salt Documentary Studies), a Pre-College summer intensive for high school students, and Continuing Studies for adults and youth. Teaching is delivered with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 24/7 studio access, and private studios for upperclassmen, supported by a curriculum in which roughly two-thirds of BFA coursework is studio practice and all BFA students receive some form of financial aid.

The college's technology stack is conventional educational infrastructure: Canvas LMS delivers course content, Jenzabar powers the MyMECA&D student portal for registration and billing, Adobe Creative Cloud is provided to undergraduates, and Google G-Suite serves as the default collaboration suite. Operations span multiple Portland properties including the historic Porteous Building (headquarters), 49 Oak Street (gallery, retail, and Artists at Work offices), and 83 Free Street (Institute of Contemporary Art). The go-to-market motion is a traditional sales-led admissions process involving portfolio review, campus tours, open houses, National Portfolio Days, virtual info sessions, and Common App integration for BFA applicants. Revenue mechanics are tuition-driven across degree programs with auxiliary streams from continuing studies tuition, the Collect Summer Art Sale (supported by 15 corporate sponsors), and the MECA&D merchandise store. Partnerships include AICAD Mobility, Bowdoin College cross-registration, GPACU, and Common App; the institution has no parent company, no funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Maine College of Art & Design

Legal name

Maine College of Art & Design

Website

https://meca.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Maine College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit art and design college founded in 1882 in Portland, Maine, offering BFA, MFA, MAT, and online MAEd and certificate programs to fewer than 500 students across visual arts and design disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Art & Design)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fine Arts Colleges (Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking) (EDAHAJAA), Art & Design Teacher Education Colleges (Art Education, Music Education) (EDAHAJAJ), Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation) (EDAMAAAB)

Keywords

• Art and design education
• Undergraduate fine arts degrees
• Graduate fine arts programs
• Pre-college art programs
• Continuing arts studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition: Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program tuition for residential students
2. Graduate Tuition: MFA, MAT, and MAEd graduate degree program tuition
3. Continuing Studies: Open enrollment courses for adults and youth; Pre-College intensive summer program
4. Collect Summer Art Sale: Annual art sale featuring student, alumni, faculty, and friend work; supports artists and student scholarship fund
5. MECA&D Store: Online merchandise and art store

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Maine College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit art and design college delivering studio-based degree programs and certificates. Core offerings include the four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (with majors in Animation & Game Art, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Textile & Fashion Design), the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art, the Master of Arts in Teaching, the online Master of Arts in Education, online graduate certificates in Arts Leadership and Expressive Arts Therapy, the Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies, a Pre-College summer intensive, and Continuing Studies for adults and youth.

Product overview

Maine College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit art and design institution offering a portfolio of degree programs and professional certificates. The core offerings include undergraduate (Bachelor of Fine Arts), graduate (Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Arts in Education), and certificate programs (Arts Leadership, Expressive Arts Therapy, Salt Documentary Studies). The institution also provides Pre-College programming for high school students and Continuing Studies for adults and youth. Student-facing technology includes the MyMECA&D portal for academic records and Canvas LMS for course content delivery. The institution is located in Portland, Maine's Arts District.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) A four-year undergraduate degree program combining hands-on studio work with critical thinking and mentorship from practicing artists, with majors in Animation & Game Art, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Textile & Fashion Design. Located in Portland's Arts District.
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Studio Art A graduate program emphasizing rigorous studio practice, cross-disciplinary dialogue, and sustained mentorship from nationally recognized artists for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art.
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) A graduate program preparing artists to become certified K-12 art educators through hands-on coursework, classroom observation, and student teaching experiences.
• Online Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) A fully online program empowering educators and creative leaders to integrate arts-based inquiry into their practice, with asynchronous coursework designed for working professionals.
• Online Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership and Administration An online graduate certificate offering specialized professional development for creative practitioners seeking skills in arts leadership and administration.
• Online Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy An online graduate certificate offering specialized professional development for creative practitioners seeking skills in expressive arts therapy.
• Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies A graduate certificate program in documentary studies offered through the Salt Institute, focusing on documentary storytelling across multiple media.
• Pre-College Intensive A three-week summer intensive program that immerses high school artists in college-level studio practice, portfolio development, and faculty feedback, with a $40 application fee.
• Continuing Studies Year-round courses for adults and youth offering open enrollment programs for creative skill development, professional development, and community engagement.
• Collect Summer Art Sale Annual art sale (online at shop.meca.edu and in-person) featuring works by students, alumni, faculty, and friends, with proceeds supporting artists and a student scholarship fund.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% job placement for MAT graduates in art education within months for seven consecutive years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Common AppcoreTechnology or IntegrationBFA undergraduate applications processed through the Common Application platform, enabling seamless application submission for prospective students.
• AICAD Mobility ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad and cross-registration opportunity through the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design consortium, allowing students to study at member institutions.
• Greater Portland Alliance of Colleges and Universities (GPACU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-registration program enabling students to take courses at partner institutions in the Greater Portland area including Bowdoin College.
• Bowdoin College Exchange ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange program allowing students to access Bowdoin College courses and resources through cross-registration.
• Allagash Brewing CompanyminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale, supporting the annual event that benefits artists and student scholarship fund.
• Bath SavingsminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Canopy by Hilton Portland WaterfrontminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale, providing hotel accommodation for the event.
• Harvard PilgrimminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Jensen BairdminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Kennebec Savings BankminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• SodexominorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Northeast Delta DentalminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Clark InsuranceminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Northern BenefitsminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• NorthlandminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Philadelphia Insurance CompaniesminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Waypoint Brokers CollectiveminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• WipfliminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Wright-RyanminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• USIminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• The VIA AgencyminorOthersSponsor of the 2026 Collect Summer Art Sale.
• Skowhegan School of Painting and SculptureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHalf-tuition matching scholarship consideration available for MECA&D alumni, supporting advanced artist development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rhode Island School of Design: Premier private non-profit art and design college in Providence, RI, offering BFA, graduate degrees, and continuing education. Closest comparable in mission, scale (~$100M+ endowment), and curriculum breadth to MECA&D.
• Pratt Institute: Private non-profit art, design, and information school in Brooklyn offering BFA and graduate degrees across visual arts, design, and architecture. Direct competitor in the specialized art school segment.
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Private non-profit art and design school in Chicago with BFA, MFA, and certificate programs plus an embedded museum (Art Institute of Chicago). Comparable model to MECA&D's ICA integration.
• Maryland Institute College of Art: Private non-profit art and design college in Baltimore offering BFA, MAT, MFA, and continuing studies. Directly comparable in size, Northeast location, and breadth of art/design undergraduate majors.
• Massachusetts College of Art and Design: Public non-profit specialized art college in Boston with BFA, MFA, and continuing education programs. Directly comparable New England peer with similar program portfolio and pre-college programming.
• California College of the Arts: Private non-profit art and design college with campuses in San Francisco and Oakland, offering BFA, MFA, MBA in Design Strategy, and continuing education. Comparable specialized curriculum and revenue model.
• Minneapolis College of Art and Design: Private non-profit four-year art and design college in Minneapolis offering BFA, MFA, and continuing studies. Closely comparable scale and program mix to MECA&D.
• Otis College of Art and Design: Private non-profit art and design college in Los Angeles with BFA and MFA programs covering fine arts, design, and digital media. Comparable specialized curriculum and continuing education focus.
• New Hampshire Institute of Art: Private non-profit art college in Manchester, NH offering BFA, MFA, and certificates. Most direct geographic and size peer to MECA&D in Northern New England.
• Parsons School of Design: The design school within The New School in NYC, offering BFA and AAS programs in graphic design, fashion, and fine arts. Comparable specialized curriculum though operating within a larger university structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@mecaart
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mainecollegeofart
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaineCollegeofArtandDesign
• Instagraminstagram.com/mecaart
• TikToktiktok.com/@mecaart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maine-college-of-art-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maine College of Art & Design