Best Maryland Schools
By Iris Stone
In this ranking, we examine the best values in Maryland colleges and universities. For the corresponding ranking of online programs, see Best Online Colleges and Universities in Maryland.
Maryland may be one of the smaller states in the Union, but it has a big impact when it comes to higher education – especially along the Eastern Seaboard. Schools like the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins pack a powerful academic punch and generate a wealth of activity in their respective centers (Silver Spring and Baltimore). Maryland also hosts several smaller private colleges and unique schools like the United States Naval Academy, which offers FREE education to aspiring members of the armed services. But most of all, Maryland's prime location – neighboring D.C. and within a short distance of both Philadelphia and New York – makes it worthy of consideration by any future college student.
The following ranking of the 15 best value colleges and universities strikes an important balance between cost and quality – a balance that is important to many during their search for appropriate schools. Our research focused on a few primary reliable indicators – net annual price included – as a way to distinguish the universities that are worth the money from those that will simply take your money.
Our Ranking Methodology:
Graduation Rate: This indicator refers to the percentage of students who complete their degree within 150% of normal time (six years for a typical four-year degree program). Schools that perform well in this area have a track record of keeping students engaged and successful for their entire time on campus. We weighted this category 30% of the total and retrieved the information from College Navigator.
Net Price: In order to make sure that cost was still a factor in the ranking, we also considered overall net price as an indicator. Taken from data on College Navigator, "net price" is an approximate value that refers to the average amount of money a student could expect to pay each year after taking into account tuition, room and board, living expenses, scholarship awards, and financial aid packages. We weighted this category 25% of the total.
Acceptance Rate: Academically challenging, popular universities tend to be more selective and thus have a lower acceptance rate. In order to pinpoint those colleges that boast rigorous academics and also receive a large number of applications, we considered acceptance rate – the percentage of students out of the total number of applicants who receive an acceptance letter. We retrieved this information from College Navigator and weighted it 30% of the total.
20-Year Net Return on Investment: Taken from information on the website PayScale, this statistic provides a picture of how much students can expect to make after they graduate from a particular college. More specifically, the figure is calculated by taking the average income an alumnus will make over his or her first 20 years after graduation and subtracting the amount paid in tuition. Schools with a high ROI tend to be better at preparing their students for the job market. We weighted this category only 15% because data was not available for all colleges considered.
After adding all the points, we gave each university a final score out of 200. The schools below have scores ranging from 91 to 166, and each has something different to offer in terms of its cost, quality, and reputation. No one college is perfect (which is why the scores vary so much) but this ranking offers you a premier selection of universities to help get you started on your search for an education in Maryland.
Featured Online Programs
Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.
Sources:
Pay Scale
College Navigator
This concludes our ranking of the top value universities and colleges in Maryland.
About the Author:
Iris Stone began her writing career as a freelance writer and researcher. She now owns and operates a writing and editing firm that works with clients all across the country. Her work has included articles related to education policy, colleges and universities, academic programs, and careers.
