Unity Remains #1 in Maine and Sees Massive Three-Year Rankings Surge
For the third consecutive year, Unity Environmental University has been named the top institution in Maine for learner social mobility. In the newly released 2025 Social Mobility Index (SMI), Unity climbed nearly 150 spots from its 2023 ranking, placing it firmly in the top 1% of institutions nationwide advancing economic opportunity for students.
While many higher education rankings rely on exclusivity and endowment size, the SMI evaluates how effectively a college recruits students from lower-income backgrounds, keeps tuition affordable, and graduates them into well-paying careers.
“The conversation around higher education is shifting from ‘prestige’ to ‘return on investment’,” said Dr. Melik Peter Khoury, President of Unity Environmental University.
The 2025 ranking caps a remarkable three-year climb for Unity. In 2023, the university ranked #163 nationally on the Social Mobility Index. In 2024, Unity vaulted to #22 and into the top 2% nationwide. Now, at #15 in 2025, Unity remains #1 in Maine and has firmly established itself as one of the country’s leading engines of economic mobility.
“This trajectory is not an accident,” said Dr. Khoury. “It is the direct result of redesigning our entire institution around the students who need social mobility the most: working adults, first-generation learners, military-connected students, and students from lower-income backgrounds. Every decision we make, how we price, how we structure programs, how we use technology, is about making sure education actually changes our students’ lives.”
Unity’s continued rise in the rankings is driven by its distinctive Enterprise Model, which has enabled the university to scale to more than 10,000 learners nationwide while minimizing student debt. Key contributors to Unity’s SMI performance include tuition-accessible pricing, career-aligned programs in high-demand sectors of the green economy, and flexible five-week terms that allow learners to balance education with work and family responsibilities, supporting stronger retention and completion rates.
The impact of this approach is reflected most clearly in the experiences of Unity learners like Brittany B., a Bachelor of Science student in Wildlife Conservation. Brittany enrolled at Unity during a pivotal moment in her life. After leaving a difficult long-term relationship, she became a single mother raising five boys while rebuilding stability for her family. Returning to school was not simply an academic decision, it was a step toward reclaiming her future.
“Unity doesn’t just deliver education; it delivers belief,” said Brittany. “The flexibility is life-changing, but the support and personal connection are what make it special. The courses inspire you, the faculty uplift you, and the structure lets real-life students actually succeed. Unity meets you where you are, then walks with you to where you’re headed.”
For Brittany, flexibility was essential. As a full-time parent managing a busy household, traditional college structures felt out of reach. Unity’s learner-centered design allowed her to pursue a degree without sacrificing her presence as a parent, while its mission-driven focus on environmental stewardship aligned with her personal values. Today, she is working toward a career in wildlife conservation and community education, hoping to protect natural habitats and help families and children connect with the outdoors.
“We meet learners where they are, providing the specific tools they need to move up the socioeconomic ladder,” said Dr. Khoury. “Breaking into the top 15 nationally proves that universities don’t have to choose between affordability, accessibility, and high-quality education, you can have all three.”
