Best Online Master’s Programs in Maryland 2023

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Maryland ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Maryland

Johns Hopkins University
Goucher College
Loyola University Maryland
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Morgan State University
Towson University
McDaniel College
University of Baltimore
Salisbury University
Frostburg State University

Stevenson University 91%
University of Baltimore 89%
Towson University 88%
McDaniel College 87%
Morgan State University 87%
Salisbury University 86%
Frostburg State University 86%
Loyola University Maryland 84%
Goucher College 82%
University of Maryland, Baltimore County 81%

University of Maryland, Baltimore County 17 to 1
Towson University 16 to 1
Stevenson University 15 to 1
Salisbury University 15 to 1
Capitol Technology University 15 to 1
Frostburg State University 14 to 1
McDaniel College 13 to 1
Morgan State University 13 to 1
University of Baltimore 13 to 1
Loyola University Maryland 12 to 1

Johns Hopkins University $58,720
Loyola University Maryland $53,530
Goucher College $48,200
McDaniel College $46,336
Notre Dame of Maryland University $39,745
Stevenson University $38,168
Capitol Technology University $26,934
Washington Adventist University $25,200
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $8,878
Salisbury University $7,408

Johns Hopkins University $58,720
Loyola University Maryland $18,540
Maryland University of Integrative Health $14,613
University of Baltimore $14,094
Notre Dame of Maryland University $13,321
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $12,222
Capitol Technology University $11,340
Washington Adventist University $11,160
McDaniel College $9,468
Goucher College $9,180

Maryland University of Integrative Health
Capitol Technology University
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Stevenson University
Washington Adventist University
Frostburg State University
Salisbury University
University of Baltimore
McDaniel College
Towson University

Johns Hopkins University 8%
Capitol Technology University 47%
Washington Adventist University 62%
Notre Dame of Maryland University 65%
University of Maryland, Baltimore County 81%
Goucher College 82%
Loyola University Maryland 84%
Frostburg State University 86%
Salisbury University 86%
Morgan State University 87%

Johns Hopkins University 6 to 1
Notre Dame of Maryland University 7 to 1
Goucher College 9 to 1
Washington Adventist University 11 to 1
Loyola University Maryland 12 to 1
McDaniel College 13 to 1
Morgan State University 13 to 1
University of Baltimore 13 to 1
Frostburg State University 14 to 1
Stevenson University 15 to 1

Morgan State University $5,477
Frostburg State University $6,834
Towson University $7,100
University of Baltimore $7,154
Salisbury University $7,408
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $8,878
Washington Adventist University $25,200
Capitol Technology University $26,934
Stevenson University $38,168
Notre Dame of Maryland University $39,745

Frostburg State University $8,028
Morgan State University $8,190
Towson University $8,280
Stevenson University $8,340
Salisbury University $8,585
Goucher College $9,180
McDaniel College $9,468
Washington Adventist University $11,160
Capitol Technology University $11,340
University of Maryland, Baltimore County $12,222

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

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

Online master’s degrees offered by respected colleges and universities are generally respected by employers. The main thing to consider about your online master’s choices is whether the school name is well known and respected. In many cases, employers won’t know your degree was earned online. But even if they do, a degree from a respected college is automatically to your benefit.

We rank the colleges and universities in this list by the influence of their alumni and faculty. For master’s degree students, including online master’s degree students, having faculty who are influential in your field matters a lot. It’s a big indicator that you have the chance to get a quality education. And, knowing that you will join an alumni association with some impressive people is nice, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Master’s Degrees

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

How do we determine Maryland's best online master's degree programs?

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.

Median Salaries of Top Careers in Maryland

The following graph depicts the average salaries of top occupations in different industries in Maryland.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary

128630Personal Financial Advisors

133350Aerospace Engineers

136520Computer Network Architects

140850Political Scientists

225160Chief Executives

Best Online Master’s Programs in Maryland 2023

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Maryland

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Maryland

What are Maryland’s Colleges & Universities?

Median Salaries of Top Careers in Maryland

Best Online Master’s Program in Maryland 2022

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Concentrations

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master's Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Concentrations

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Online Master’s Degrees

Maryland’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest