State rankings

Best colleges in Maryland, ranked by ROI

Name: Maryland colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 52 Maryland institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $17,578/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $47,623 ten years out (above the $43,549 national median). University of Maryland-College Park leads, clearing its cost in 1.8 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$17,578

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$47,623

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

5.8 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Maryland colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	University of Maryland-College Park	$15,678	$82,860	1.8 yrs
2	Johns Hopkins University	$18,809	$87,555	1.9 yrs
3	Capitol Technology University	$22,102	$85,035	2.4 yrs
4	Ner Israel Rabbinical College	$13,572	$66,330	3 yrs
5	University of Maryland-Baltimore County	$16,467	$69,960	3 yrs
6	Loyola University Maryland	$30,574	$82,652	3.6 yrs
7	Towson University	$17,413	$64,390	4.3 yrs
8	University of Baltimore	$13,868	$61,335	4.3 yrs
9	Notre Dame of Maryland University	$19,169	$65,344	4.5 yrs
10	Washington Adventist University	$18,526	$64,249	4.7 yrs
11	University of Maryland Global Campus	$22,063	$65,287	5.2 yrs
12	Salisbury University	$17,743	$61,515	5.4 yrs
13	Mount St. Mary's University	$22,655	$64,072	5.8 yrs
14	St. Mary's College of Maryland	$18,441	$60,110	6.3 yrs
15	Washington College	$27,898	$65,518	6.5 yrs
16	McDaniel College	$21,916	$60,663	7.1 yrs
17	Stevenson University	$26,505	$62,079	7.7 yrs
18	Montgomery College	$8,027	$50,159	8.9 yrs
19	Frostburg State University	$16,715	$55,493	9.4 yrs
20	Hood College	$20,873	$57,089	9.6 yrs
21	Bowie State University	$19,298	$54,537	12.5 yrs
22	Goucher College	$22,470	$53,023	19.3 yrs
23	Morgan State University	$14,985	$50,698	25.6 yrs
24	Howard Community College	$11,133	$49,020	33.7 yrs
25	St. John's College	$45,597	$51,584	56.6 yrs
26	Prince George's Community College	$8,672	$47,548	no payback
27	Frederick Community College	$9,465	$46,449	no payback
28	University of Maryland Eastern Shore	$13,338	$47,697	no payback
29	Anne Arundel Community College	$14,915	$46,219	no payback
30	Coppin State University	$9,977	$46,490	no payback
31	Carroll Community College	$2,725	$44,349	no payback
32	Harford Community College	$9,234	$44,608	no payback
33	Cecil College	$9,658	$43,952	no payback
34	Community College of Baltimore County	$9,844	$43,729	no payback
35	College of Southern Maryland	$9,204	$44,435	no payback
36	Hagerstown Community College	$6,835	$41,615	no payback
37	Hair Academy II	$23,444	$43,383	no payback
38	North American Trade Schools	$8,597	$39,756	no payback
39	Allegany College of Maryland	$8,819	$38,476	no payback
40	Maryland Institute College of Art	$42,729	$45,212	no payback
41	Wor-Wic Community College	$9,360	$36,748	no payback
42	Chesapeake College	$5,106	$36,301	no payback
43	Garrett College	$9,228	$35,823	no payback
44	Baltimore City Community College	$15,987	$36,025	no payback
45	Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia	$34,306	$38,683	no payback
46	Fortis College-Landover	$26,578	$36,920	no payback
47	Fortis Institute-Towson	$31,549	$36,368	no payback
48	All-State Career-Baltimore	$18,233	$33,193	no payback
49	Cortiva Institute	$26,328	$30,474	no payback
50	The Temple Annapolis-A Paul Mitchell Partner School	$31,528	$27,891	no payback
51	Hair Academy	$20,565	$20,953	no payback
52	Montgomery Beauty School-Baltimore Beauty & Barber School	$19,047	$18,726	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Maryland: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Maryland?

University of Maryland-College Park. It charges $15,678/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $82,860 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 1.8 years — the fastest payback of the 52 Maryland colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Maryland?

The median net price across Maryland colleges is $17,578/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Maryland college graduates earn?

A median $47,623 ten years after entry (Scorecard), above the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Maryland colleges pay for themselves?

25 of the 52 Maryland colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.