Public school education is highly prized and well supported in the Bangor metropolitan area. The Bangor school system is unique in that it is organized into schools serving four separate age levels (K-3; 4-5; 6-8; 9-12). Individual student progress is closely monitored through systematic assessments. Area students excel on achievement tests such as the Maine Educational Assessment, the Metropolitan Achievement Test, and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. More than 90 percent of graduating seniors continue their education at post-secondary institutions. Bangor's high school has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, which designated Bangor High as a 2001-2002 National School of Excellence—the only high school in New England to receive that designation for that year.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Bangor Public Schools as of the 2004–2005 school year.
Total enrollment: 4,022
Number of facilities
elementary schools: 5
intermediate schools (grades 4-5): 2
junior high/middle schools: 2
high schools: 1
Student/teacher ratio: 14:1
Teacher salaries
average: $47,722
Funding per pupil: $7,652
Public Schools Information: Bangor School System, 73
Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401; telephone (207)992-4152
The University of Maine at Orono, the state's principal research institution, is located just north of Bangor. Its six colleges are Liberal Arts & Sciences; Business, Public Policy & Health; Education & Human Development; Natural Sciences, Forestry & Agriculture; School of Engineering Technology; and Honors College. The university offers 88 bachelor's degree programs, 64 master's degree programs, and 25 doctoral programs. Its library is ranked among the top in the country.
Eastern Maine Community College offers associate's degrees, diplomas, and certificate levels in 28 technology programs; More than 1,200 full- and part-time students are enrolled at the college, which employs more than 150 faculty members. Husson College is a four-year school that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines. The Bangor Theological Seminary, established in 1814, awards master's and doctorate's degrees; it is the only accredited graduate school of religion in northern New England. Other post-secondary institutions in the Bangor area are University College of Bangor, Beal College, Maine Maritime Academy, the New England School of Broadcasting, Unity College, the College of the Atlantic, and Colby College.
The Bangor Public Library, with more than 500,000 volumes of books, periodicals, government documents, and recordings, is one of the largest in New England and the busiest per capita in the country. The library sends more interlibrary loans each year than any other library in New England.
The University of Maine is home to the Raymond H. Fogler Library, the state's largest. Its collections include more than one million volumes, 3,400 periodical subscriptions, 1.6 million microforms, 2.25 million federal and provincial government documents, and a large number of electronic resources. The library's Ira C. Darling Marine Center houses a specialized collection focused on marine studies.
Public Library Information: Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401; telephone (207)947-8336; fax (207)945-6694; email bplill@bpl.lib.me.us