Best Colleges in Maryland 2026

Maryland's higher education landscape offers strong options across both public and private institutions, with public schools claiming four of the top five spots in our rankings. The University of Maryland-College Park and Johns Hopkins University lead the pack, representing the state's commitment to research excellence and academic quality. Among 25 qualifying schools, students will find notable strengths in STEM programs, particularly at UMBC and Johns Hopkins, alongside liberal arts excellence at institutions like St. Mary's College. When evaluating Maryland colleges, prospective students should consider research opportunities, class sizes, location preferences, and specific program strengths. The state's proximity to Washington D.C. also provides unique internship and career networking advantages across multiple fields.

Schools Ranked

$58,309

Avg. Earnings

49.2%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, Maryland	88.6%	$82,860	44.6%	$11,505
2	Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland	94.6%	$87,555	7.3%	$63,340
3	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, Maryland	70.6%	$69,960	80.6%	$12,952
4	Towson University Towson, Maryland	67.6%	$64,390	78.6%	$11,306
5	St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City, Maryland	68.0%	$60,110	77.3%	$15,236
6	Capitol Technology University Laurel, Maryland	46.7%	$85,035	64.3%	$27,318
7	Salisbury University Salisbury, Maryland	67.4%	$61,515	91.1%	$10,638
8	Carroll Community College Westminster, Maryland	47.2%	$44,349		$4,128
9	University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, Maryland	29.6%	$65,287		$7,992
10	Ner Israel Rabbinical College Baltimore, Maryland	43.9%	$66,330	72.2%	$14,400
11	Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, Maryland	80.5%	$82,652	83.5%	$55,480
12	Harford Community College Bel Air, Maryland	38.4%	$44,608		$3,974
13	Allegany College of Maryland Cumberland, Maryland	44.8%	$38,476		$4,730
14	Frederick Community College Frederick, Maryland	35.2%	$46,449		$3,772
15	St. John's College Annapolis, Maryland	67.4%	$51,584	49.9%	$39,126
16	Washington Adventist University Takoma Park, Maryland	40.0%	$64,249	51.4%	$25,200
17	Hagerstown Community College Hagerstown, Maryland	36.4%	$41,615		$4,320
18	College of Southern Maryland La Plata, Maryland	33.3%	$44,435		$4,200
19	Montgomery College Rockville, Maryland	27.5%	$50,159		$5,394
20	Frostburg State University Frostburg, Maryland	52.1%	$55,493	87.9%	$9,998
21	University of Baltimore Baltimore, Maryland	46.7%	$61,335	89.3%	$9,772
22	Howard Community College Columbia, Maryland	26.4%	$49,020		$4,080
23	Prince George's Community College Largo, Maryland	25.1%	$47,548		$3,914
24	Coppin State University Baltimore, Maryland	25.6%	$46,490	45.0%	$7,001
25	Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, Maryland	25.5%	$46,219		$4,178