Best Value Degrees in Maryland (2026)

Top 100 of 342 programs in Maryland · Updated 2026

The best college programs in Maryland, ranked by overall value. We scored 342 programs across Maryland schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $65,265/yr in graduate earnings.

Why a Local HBCU Outranks a National Powerhouse for Value

Coppin State's #1 rank isn't an accident; it's a masterclass in value. Its nursing program serves as a direct pipeline into Baltimore's world-class healthcare economy, including giants like Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland Medical System. With a total 4-year tuition of just $28,004, graduates enter a high-demand field with minimal debt, enabling a massive 34.1x return on investment. This combination of hyper-low cost and a guaranteed local job market is a formula that even prestigious, high-cost universities can't beat for pure financial value.

The UMGC Surprise: How an Online School Dominates the Rankings

Seeing the University of Maryland Global Campus appear five times in the top 20—including at #2 and #4—might seem odd, but it reveals a key insight. UMGC primarily serves working adults and military students, not traditional 18-year-olds. Its graduates often leverage their new degree to advance an existing career, leading to high immediate earnings ($92,323/yr for nursing grads). Combined with low-cost, flexible online programs, UMGC becomes a powerful career accelerator, delivering exceptional ROI (over 30x) for students who are already in the workforce.

AI's Impact: Enhancing Nurses, Challenging Coders

The high AI risk scores across the board tell two very different stories. For nursing (43% risk), AI automates administrative tasks like charting, freeing you up for the irreplaceable human work of patient care and critical thinking. For computer science (61% risk), AI is automating routine coding, shrinking the number of traditional entry-level jobs. New CS grads won't be hired to just write code; you'll be expected to architect systems and critically manage AI tools from day one, raising the bar for entry into the field.

Maryland's Value Secret: A Dominant Public University System

All top 20 programs are from public universities, a testament to the strength and affordability of the University System of Maryland. These schools offer a powerful combination of reasonable in-state tuition and direct access to the robust D.C.-Baltimore job market. While a private school like Johns Hopkins delivers the state's highest earnings ($109,514/yr), its high tuition keeps it off this value-focused list. The lesson is clear: for the best return on your dollar in Maryland, public universities are the undisputed champions.

Programs in MD

342

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$65,265/yr

Avg DW Score

76/100

#1 Program

Nursing

Coppin State University

Top Institutions

Leading the field for Best Degrees in Maryland

The top four programs by DegreeOutlook Score. Full ranking of 100 programs below.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 90

Nursing

Coppin State University · Baltimore, MD · Public

University of Maryland Global Campus · MD · #2

$92,323/yr · 30.5x ROI

Nursing

Frostburg State University · MD · #3

$82,617/yr · 24.2x ROI

Information Sciences

University of Maryland Global Campus · MD · #4

$75,619/yr · 31.5x ROI

The Ranking Matrix

Top Programs in Maryland

Top 100 programs by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full analysis.

Sort by

#	Program	DW Score	Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
1	Nursing Coppin State University · Baltimore, MD	90 87–89	$76,661/yr	High	34.1x
2	Nursing University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	90 87–90	$92,323/yr	High	30.5x
3	Nursing Frostburg State University · Frostburg, MD	89 86–89	$82,617/yr	High	24.2x
4	Information Sciences University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	89 82–90	$75,619/yr	Very High	31.5x
5	Nursing Morgan State University · Baltimore, MD	89 86–89	$75,641/yr	High	28.5x
6	Nursing Bowie State University · Bowie, MD	88 86–88	$70,278/yr	High	27.8x
7	Computer Science University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	88 80–89	$83,684/yr	Very High	20.1x
8	Finance University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	88 86–90	$75,689/yr	Very High	24.3x
9	Management Science University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	88 84–89	$72,304/yr	Very High	22.9x
10	Computer Science Towson University · Towson, MD	87 80–88	$71,795/yr	Very High	23.5x
11	IT Management University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	86 81–88	$73,797/yr	Very High	31.2x
12	Accounting University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	86 82–88	$69,821/yr	Very High	20.6x
13	Nursing Towson University · Towson, MD	86 83–86	$80,344/yr	High	18.0x
14	Computer Engineering University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	85 79–87	$86,444/yr	Very High	20.5x
15	Information Sciences Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	85 79–86	$59,653/yr	Very High	25.8x
16	Nursing Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	85 82–85	$76,477/yr	High	17.6x
17	Information Science University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	84 78–85	$72,140/yr	Very High	29.7x
18	Finance University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	84 81–85	$61,003/yr	Very High	24.5x
19	Information Science University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	84 78–85	$70,344/yr	Very High	23.7x
20	Information Sciences Morgan State University · Baltimore, MD	84 78–85	$66,950/yr	Very High	23.9x
21	Information Sciences St. Mary's College of Maryland · St. Mary's City, MD	84 77–85	$72,926/yr	Very High	14.7x
22	Business Administration University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	83 77–83	$65,842/yr	High	21.2x
23	Accounting University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	82 79–84	$58,863/yr	Very High	23.2x
24	Accounting Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	82 79–84	$62,889/yr	Very High	18.6x
25	Accounting Towson University · Towson, MD	82 79–83	$64,012/yr	Very High	17.2x
26	Finance Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	81 78–82	$54,776/yr	Very High	18.4x
27	Information Sciences Towson University · Towson, MD	81 75–82	$53,171/yr	Very High	19.6x
28	Information Sciences Strayer University-Maryland · Suitland, MD	81 75–82	$67,315/yr	Very High	14.0x
29	Information Sciences Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD	80 74–81	$109,514/yr	Very High	6.2x
30	Business Administration University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	80 75–81	$62,634/yr	High	23.8x
31	Information Science University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	80 74–81	$63,334/yr	Very High	18.2x
32	Accounting Morgan State University · Baltimore, MD	79 75–80	$56,040/yr	Very High	19.8x
33	Information Science Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	79 73–80	$61,290/yr	Very High	19.1x
34	Information Science Strayer University-Maryland · Suitland, MD	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	Very High	14.7x
35	Mathematics University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	78 72–79	$79,129/yr	Very High	21.1x
36	Economics University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	78 74–79	$58,650/yr	Very High	17.9x
37	Computer Science University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	77 70–78	$99,756/yr	Very High	20.7x
38	International Business University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	77 72–78	$61,199/yr	Very High	17.8x
39	Accounting Frostburg State University · Frostburg, MD	76 73–78	$49,013/yr	Very High	17.1x
40	Aerospace Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	76 73–77	$78,631/yr	High	22.1x
41	Electrical Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	76 72–78	$85,500/yr	Very High	22.5x
42	Electrical Engineering Morgan State University · Baltimore, MD	76 72–78	$78,033/yr	Very High	31.1x
43	Nursing Notre Dame of Maryland University · Baltimore, MD	76 73–76	$83,354/yr	High	4.6x
44	Information Science Towson University · Towson, MD	76 69–76	$50,067/yr	Very High	18.1x
45	Business Administration Towson University · Towson, MD	76 70–77	$54,772/yr	High	16.3x
46	Nursing Stevenson University · Owings Mills, MD	76 73–76	$79,709/yr	High	4.8x
47	Business University of Baltimore · Baltimore, MD	75 70–76	$52,329/yr	High	17.3x
48	Health and Medical Administrative Services University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	75 70–76	$50,928/yr	High	19.6x
49	Mechanical Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	75 72–77	$76,485/yr	Very High	21.3x
50	Allied Health Professions Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	75 74–75	$80,088/yr	Moderate	16.9x
51	Chemical Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	74 71–75	$81,777/yr	High	19.1x
52	Civil Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	74 72–76	$76,731/yr	High	18.7x
53	Marketing University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	74 69–75	$61,578/yr	Very High	18.8x
54	Business Administration Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	74 68–75	$49,278/yr	High	16.6x
55	Teacher Education Bowie State University · Bowie, MD	73 75–74	$52,619/yr	High	15.2x
56	Business Administration Bowie State University · Bowie, MD	73 67–74	$50,683/yr	High	17.5x
57	Teacher Education Coppin State University · Baltimore, MD	73 75–74	$53,215/yr	High	18.0x
58	Economics Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD	73 70–75	$78,181/yr	Very High	4.7x
59	Accounting Loyola University Maryland · Baltimore, MD	73 70–75	$69,305/yr	Very High	3.8x
60	Public Policy University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	73 70–74	$74,053/yr	High	22.2x
61	Economics University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	73 69–74	$54,859/yr	Very High	13.9x
62	Computer Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	73 67–75	$95,847/yr	Very High	19.8x
63	Criminal Justice University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	72 64–73	$55,479/yr	Moderate	20.5x
64	Political Science University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	72 67–73	$62,476/yr	Very High	21.0x
65	Mechanical Engineering University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	72 70–74	$71,519/yr	Very High	17.0x
66	Agricultural Business University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	72 65–73	$53,081/yr	High	17.0x
67	Teacher Education University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	72 74–72	$53,054/yr	High	12.3x
68	Engineering Studies University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	72 69–73	$80,931/yr	High	19.1x
69	Civil Engineering Morgan State University · Baltimore, MD	72 70–73	$70,667/yr	High	21.5x
70	Economics Towson University · Towson, MD	72 68–73	$50,910/yr	Very High	14.9x
71	Human Resources University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	71 65–71	$53,685/yr	High	21.1x
72	IT Management University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	71 66–72	$46,286/yr	Very High	13.5x
73	Chemical Engineering University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	71 69–72	$66,023/yr	High	18.0x
74	Agricultural Engineering University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	71 69–72	$69,848/yr	High	22.0x
75	Accounting Stevenson University · Owings Mills, MD	71 68–73	$67,261/yr	Very High	4.3x
76	Security Science and Technology University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	70 58–70	$47,496/yr	High	22.4x
77	Economics St. Mary's College of Maryland · St. Mary's City, MD	70 66–71	$51,483/yr	Very High	11.4x
78	Mathematics Towson University · Towson, MD	70 64–71	$56,443/yr	Very High	16.7x
79	Chemistry Towson University · Towson, MD	70 66–71	$52,765/yr	High	16.5x
80	Health and Medical Administrative Services Towson University · Towson, MD	70 65–71	$46,325/yr	High	13.6x
81	Nursing Washington Adventist University · Takoma Park, MD	69 65–69	$85,352/yr	High	7.5x
82	Health and Medical Administrative Services Coppin State University · Baltimore, MD	69 63–70	$54,613/yr	High	18.5x
83	Mathematics University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD	69 64–71	$54,362/yr	Very High	15.7x
84	Construction Management Morgan State University · Baltimore, MD	69 67–70	$64,392/yr	High	18.8x
85	Physics Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	69 67–70	$54,548/yr	Very High	19.3x
86	Subject-Area Teaching Towson University · Towson, MD	69 70–70	$51,209/yr	High	11.6x
87	Accounting McDaniel College · Westminster, MD	69 65–70	$65,941/yr	Very High	3.2x
88	Business Strayer University-Maryland · Suitland, MD	69 64–70	$55,431/yr	High	10.6x
89	Mathematics Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD	68 62–70	$83,171/yr	Very High	4.5x
90	Information Sciences University of Maryland Eastern Shore · Princess Anne, MD	68 70–69	$38,293/yr	Very High	23.0x
91	Teacher Education Salisbury University · Salisbury, MD	68 71–69	$50,544/yr	High	11.9x
92	Teacher Education Towson University · Towson, MD	68 71–69	$51,749/yr	High	11.2x
93	Accounting Strayer University-Maryland · Suitland, MD	68 65–70	$52,373/yr	Very High	9.7x
94	Criminal Justice University of Baltimore · Baltimore, MD	67 58–68	$48,991/yr	Moderate	15.2x
95	Social Sciences University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	67 65–68	$50,557/yr	High	15.8x
96	Chemistry University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD	67 64–68	$46,140/yr	High	16.0x
97	Accounting Mount St. Mary's University · Emmitsburg, MD	67 63–68	$64,849/yr	Very High	3.0x
98	Computer Science Frostburg State University · Frostburg, MD	66 59–67	$54,349/yr	Very High	12.6x
99	Business Administration Loyola University Maryland · Baltimore, MD	66 61–67	$60,656/yr	High	3.1x
100	Marketing University of Maryland Global Campus · Adelphi, MD	66 60–67	$50,094/yr	Very High	18.2x

FAQ

Frequently asked

What is the best college program in Maryland?

By DegreeOutlook Score, Nursing at Coppin State University ranks #1 in Maryland with a score of 90/100 and graduate earnings of $76,661/yr.

How many college programs are in Maryland?

Our database includes 342 programs across Maryland colleges with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.