Best Public Colleges in Maryland 2024

Badge for BEST IN MARYLAND PUBLIC COLLEGES

Published: Mar 26, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Maryland provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

University of Maryland, College Park
United States Naval Academy
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Morgan State University
Towson University
Bowie State University
University of Baltimore
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Frostburg State University
Salisbury University

Salisbury University 91%
University of Baltimore 89%
Frostburg State University 88%
Bowie State University 87%
Morgan State University 85%
University of Maryland Eastern Shore 82%
University of Maryland, Baltimore County 81%
Towson University 79%
St. Mary's College of Maryland 77%
University of Maryland, College Park 45%

University of Maryland Global Campus 19 to 1
University of Maryland, College Park 18 to 1
University of Maryland, Baltimore County 18 to 1
Morgan State University 17 to 1
Bowie State University 15 to 1
Towson University 15 to 1
Salisbury University 13 to 1
Frostburg State University 12 to 1
University of Maryland Eastern Shore 11 to 1
University of Baltimore 10 to 1

St. Mary's College of Maryland $12,116
University of Maryland, College Park $9,695
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $9,056
Salisbury University $7,556
University of Maryland Global Campus $7,488
University of Baltimore $7,296
Towson University $7,238
Frostburg State University $6,974
Bowie State University $5,874
University of Maryland Eastern Shore $5,637

St. Mary's College of Maryland $16,530
University of Maryland, College Park $16,238
University of Baltimore $14,382
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $12,582
University of Maryland Global Campus $9,252
Towson University $8,676
University of Maryland Eastern Shore $8,304
Bowie State University $8,236
Frostburg State University $8,208
Morgan State University $8,190

University of Maryland Global Campus
Coppin State University
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Frostburg State University
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Bowie State University
Salisbury University
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Morgan State University
Towson University

University of Maryland Eastern Shore
University of Maryland Global Campus
Coppin State University
Salisbury University
Frostburg State University
St. Mary's College of Maryland
University of Baltimore
Bowie State University
Towson University
Morgan State University

United States Naval Academy 11%
Coppin State University 45%
University of Maryland, College Park 45%
St. Mary's College of Maryland 77%
Towson University 79%
University of Maryland, Baltimore County 81%
University of Maryland Eastern Shore 82%
Morgan State University 85%
Bowie State University 87%
Frostburg State University 88%

United States Naval Academy 8 to 1
University of Baltimore 10 to 1
St. Mary's College of Maryland 10 to 1
Coppin State University 10 to 1
University of Maryland Eastern Shore 11 to 1
Frostburg State University 12 to 1
Salisbury University 13 to 1
Bowie State University 15 to 1
Towson University 15 to 1
Morgan State University 17 to 1

Coppin State University $4,836
Morgan State University $5,477
University of Maryland Eastern Shore $5,637
Bowie State University $5,874
Frostburg State University $6,974
Towson University $7,238
University of Baltimore $7,296
University of Maryland Global Campus $7,488
Salisbury University $7,556
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $9,056

Coppin State University $6,316
Salisbury University $7,842
Morgan State University $8,190
Frostburg State University $8,208
Bowie State University $8,236
University of Maryland Eastern Shore $8,304
Towson University $8,676
University of Maryland Global Campus $9,252
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $12,582
University of Baltimore $14,382

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Maryland

The Old Line State has 46 colleges and universities, 30 of which are public and 16 of which are private. The United States Naval Academy offers programs in physical sciences, aeronautical engineering, and naval architecture. The largest private institution, Johns Hopkins University, has just over 24,000 students and a tuition rate of $54,000. Located in Baltimore, this research university is known for its science and medical discoveries.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

The University of Maryland in College Park boasts over 35,000 students with a price tag of $11,000. The school has 15 campuses, and students can choose from areas of study like criminal justice, communications, physics, and sociology. The most affordable school in the state, Baltimore City Community College comes in at $3,000 and has 37 associate degree programs to choose from. Maryland also provides loan forgiveness programs for its residents, including those for dentists and public servants. Students can also check out the Maryland SmartBuy Home Buyer Assistance and Forgiveness Program, where eligible applicants can receive up to 15% of the home purchase price toward outstanding student loan, to be paid off as part of closing.

Maryland is a state bursting with history, from its numerous museums to its historic battlegrounds. Students who attend school in Maryland can explore the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Park and walk the same streets as many influential Marylanders, including Francis Scott Key, Babe Ruth, Billie Holiday, and Thurgood Marshall.

Whether you’re looking to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, Maryland offers its students history, legacy, and numerous degree paths.

What are Maryland’s Colleges & Universities?

Maryland’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 13 public universities in Maryland. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Maryland, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.

How do we determine Maryland's best public colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Public Colleges in Maryland 2023

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Maryland’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.

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Best Public Colleges in Maryland 2024

10 Best Public Colleges in Maryland

Colleges and Universities in Maryland

What are Maryland’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Public Colleges in Maryland 2023

Career Outlook for degree at University of Maryland, College Park

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Baltimore

Most Influential Alumni

University of Baltimore’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Towson University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Morgan State University

Most Influential Alumni

Morgan State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Salisbury University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Bowie State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at St. Mary's College of Maryland

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Frostburg State University

Most Influential Alumni

Frostburg State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Coppin State University

Most Influential Alumni

Coppin State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Maryland Global Campus

Most Influential Alumni

Maryland’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest