Choose Maine

For the innovative minds advancing Life Science forward, Maine is the most enriching community to live and work.

From the rocky coast of Bar Harbor to the burgeoning Portland waterfront, Maine is home to a diverse and prosperous life science ecosystem.

Global biotech companies such as Abbott, BBI Solutions, Corning, Elanco, IDEXX, Molnlycke, GVS, Bio-Rad, and Lonza have Maine facilities. There are more than 400 life science companies, with most of them focusing on pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, scientific research and development services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and medical equipment and supplies manufacturing. In recent years, Maine’s life science industry has played an increasingly important role in Maine’s economy.

Maine fulfills individual lives, incentivizes business, motivates company growth, advances the local economy, influences the industry at large, and propels life science forward in New England and beyond.

Why Maine? We know a few reasons

Value

Maine provides significant value on investment to open up opportunity for life science companies, with an abundance of affordable land and resources, and capacity advantages.

  • Maine is almost as large as all of the other five New England States combined
  • About 90% of Maine is forested, the highest percentage of any state
  • Inexpensive workforce with 30%-50% lower than national average wage
  • Capacity advantages through low cost of land, existing real estate & resources

The most affordable land in New England

$6,142 Maine Value/Acre
$7,439 Vermont Value/Acre
$19,840 New Hampshire Value/Acre
$102,214 Massachusetts Value/Acre
$128,824 Connecticut Value/Acre
$133,730 Rhode Island Value/Acre

Source: USA Today, 2019

Access

Maine has direct access to government resources, support, and funding to create business efficiencies and drive growth.

Contact your State Representative
Contact your State Senator
Resources: Doing Business in Maine
Resources: Working in Maine

Proximity

Maine is a gateway to the life sciences world, just up the road from a global hub, but with ease of traveling, low traffic congestion, and public transit commuting.

  • 1 hour 45 minute drive from Portland, ME to Boston, MA
  • Take the Amtrak Downeaster
  • Take a direct Concord Coach bus
  • Take a non-stop flight from the Portland International Jetport to Boston Logan Airport
  • The Portland International Jetport has direct flights to 20 major cities including Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and more.

Hours lost in congestion (2019)

Portland, Maine 22
Boston, Massachusetts 149
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 142
New York, New York 140
San Francisco, California 97
Seattle, Washington 74
Providence, Rhode Island 70
San Diego, California 70
Raleigh, North Carolina 25

Source: INRIX 2019 Global Traffic Scorecard

Work-Life Balance

Maine values work-life balance, providing residents the ability to do industry-leading work, but also maintain a low cost of living, higher salaries, and access to Maine’s natural resources and cultural vibrancy.

Maine is one of the greatest natural playgrounds in the world. It offers 5,000 miles of spectacular coastline, majestic mountain ranges, and crystal-clear lakes and rivers.

  • Portland, ME ranked 2018 Restaurant City of the Year
  • Portland, ME named World’s Best City for Craft Beer
  • Maine ranks first in the nation for public safety
  • Maine ranks No. 1 for the highest percentage of grade A hospitals
  • IDEXX named Maine’s 2nd best employer
  • Portland, ME named 4th best place to live in the United States

“Great science is like great art; you need to be creative to do it, and to do it well, and that ethos is here.”
– 
Dr. Deborah Bronk

Industry Impact

 

Maine life sciences companies’ voices carry weight to drive our economy forward, creating more jobs for Mainers and shaping the state’s economy.

  • 484 life science companies in Maine

  • Maine’s life science industry has a job multiplier of 2.71 compared to 1.71 in all other Maine industries

  • $2.2 Billion of Maine’s total GRP

  • 4.2% of Maine’s total exports

Life Science Industry Job Growth

Life science jobs in Maine grew by 42% in the last 5 years, outpacing all other New England States.

Source: 2022 BioME Life Sciences in Maine Industry Report

Workforce

Maine has access to a quality, highly skilled workforce, driving both workforce attraction and retention

  • The cost of living in Maine is 27% lower than the national average
  • Study finds Maine is 1 of 4 states with residents having the least desire to move away
  • 128% increase in average earnings of Maine’s life science jobs from 2001-2021
  • Affordable median home value of $237,800
  • 6,506 life science degrees awarded in Maine from 2012 to 2020
  • Average annual salary of $108,741 in Maine’s life science industry (compared to the average annual salary of $62,798 in all other Maine industries)

 

Degree Programs & Training Resources

Discover Maine’s life science related research opportunities, fellowships, internships, training programs, courses, workshops, graduate & undergraduate programs and more.

Maine has 20+ colleges and universities offering degrees in life sciences

Resources and information for…

“Maine is among the best places for business and careers in the U.S.”

 

Forbes Magazine

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