🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants. Affordable on average — net price runs around $16,467/yr. Major value play for in-state residents.

✅ Best for

  • Solid academic profile (SAT 1220–1410 · ACT 23–30 middle 50% + typically a 3.7+ unweighted GPA in rigorous coursework)
  • In-state residents (tuition ~$13,256 — major value play)
  • Students drawn to Computer & Information Sciences or Biological & Biomedical Sciences (the two biggest majors)
  • Research-oriented students (R1 — top tier of federal research funding)

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 1220, or ACT below 23, or unweighted GPA below ~3.50 (admitted-class quartiles; GPA floor is a calibrated heuristic where CDS not yet on file)

Verdict is composed from this college's structured data (admit rate, SAT bands, net price by income, Carnegie classification, scholarship grids) using transparent rule thresholds — not a chat-bot's opinion.

🏛️ Institutional snapshot

What kind of college is this?

Carnegie classification
R1: Doctoral - Very High Research Activity
Total enrollment
10,701
10,000 - 19,999
In-state tuition
$13,256
sticker, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$31,275
+$18,019 vs in-state
Admit rate
74.2%
Accessible
SAT middle 50%
1220–1410
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
23–30
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$69,960
median, after entry

Source: federal IPEDS Admissions 2023 for scores + admit rate; federal College Scorecard (20260606 vintage) for earnings + outcomes. SAT/ACT bands are the 25th–75th percentile of enrolled submitters.

📊 Outcomes & cost

What graduates actually earn, finish, and owe.

Federal College Scorecard data. Earnings are median annual income measured years after entering. Debt is for federal-aid borrowers only (cash-pay students aren't counted).

Earnings, 6 yrs after entry
$55,137
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$69,960
4-year completion
70%
Median debt (completers)
$19,500
Cost of attendance
$28,576
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
30%

💰 True ROI

10.6× return

What families actually pay (after aid) vs. the sticker — and how 10-yr earnings stack against the real cost. Most sites quote sticker; we quote what families really pay.

What families actually pay (4 yrs)
$65,868
$16,467/yr avg net
Aid that hides behind the sticker
$48,436
vs sticker $114,304
10-yr earnings total
$699,600
$69,960/yr median, 10 yrs out
Years to recoup actual cost
0.9 yrs
at the median earnings rate

"True ROI" = (10-yr median earnings × 10) ÷ (actual 4-yr net price). The actual net is from Scorecard (average across all families); your family's net price will vary by income — see the breakdown above. Earnings are 10 years after enrollment (Scorecard PP-FOS, all majors combined).

💰 What families actually pay

Net price by family income

Net price = sticker price minus grant aid. This is what families actually pay out-of-pocket after scholarships and need-based aid — the most honest affordability signal there is. At University of Maryland-Baltimore County, the average net price is $16,467/yr across all families.

Family income $0-30k
$5,087/yr
Family income $30-48k
$10,714/yr
Family income $48-75k
$16,543/yr
Family income $75-110k
$22,172/yr
Family income $110k+
$25,439/yr

🔎 Earning over $110K? The federal brackets above lump every family from $110K to $1M+ into one row.

Need-based aid usually phases out somewhere between $200K and $300K at private colleges — but the exact threshold varies a lot. For a precise estimate based on your family's actual income, assets, and your student's academic profile, use University of Maryland-Baltimore County's official Net Price Calculator:

Get your family's estimate from University of Maryland-Baltimore County →

Opens on University of Maryland-Baltimore County's site. Takes about 10–15 minutes; have your most recent tax return handy.

Source: College Scorecard (NPT41-NPT45). Net price = total cost of attendance minus federal, state, institutional, and other grants. Some brackets may be suppressed for student-privacy reasons (small cohorts). Title IV first-time, full-time undergraduates only. The $110K+ ceiling is a federal data limitation — Department of Education hasn't refreshed these brackets since the early 2010s.

📚 What students study here

Most popular majors at University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Top 5 fields of study by bachelor's degrees awarded (most recent IPEDS Completions). Use this to see what University of Maryland-Baltimore County actually graduates — not just what it markets.

1. Computer & Information Sciences
617 degrees · 35.5%
Typical career outcomes
Software Developer $132k Data Scientist $108k Information Security Analyst $120k Web Developer $85k
High-paying tech roles dominate. Median software roles cluster in the $90k-$130k range.
2. Biological & Biomedical Sciences
402 degrees · 23.1%
Typical career outcomes
Biological Scientist $87k Medical & Clinical Lab Tech $61k Pharmaceutical Rep $82k Physician (post-MD) $239k
Many bio majors → med school / grad school. Direct-employment bio roles are lower-paid than that pipeline.
3. Psychology
301 degrees · 17.3%
Typical career outcomes
HR Specialist $68k Market Research Analyst $75k Clinical Psychologist (post-PhD) $93k Social Worker $58k
Most undergrad psych grads go into non-clinical roles. Clinical/counseling psych requires a master's or doctoral.
4. Social Sciences
210 degrees · 12.1%
Typical career outcomes
Economist $118k Political Scientist $130k Sociologist $93k Market Research Analyst $75k
Economics + poli sci sub-disciplines pay much more than sociology + anthropology.
5. Engineering
207 degrees · 11.9%
Typical career outcomes
Mechanical Engineer $100k Electrical Engineer $107k Civil Engineer $93k Chemical Engineer $112k
Engineering majors land high-paying technical roles. Top-earning sub-disciplines: petroleum, chemical, computer engineering.

Source: IPEDS Completions (C2023_a), bachelor's-level first majors aggregated to 2-digit CIP family. Share is of these top 5 only — not all majors.

💼 Top programs by earnings

Highest-earning majors at University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Median earnings 4 years after entry, by major (CIP code). From the federal College Scorecard program-level outcomes.

Major (CIP) Credential Cohort 1-yr earnings 4-yr earnings
Computer Engineering. Bachelor's Degree 48 $86,444 $113,299
Computer Science. Bachelor's Degree 314 $83,684 $105,706
Information Science/Studies. Bachelor's Degree 278 $63,334 $95,435
Mechanical Engineering. Bachelor's Degree 101 $71,519 $95,078
Chemical Engineering. Bachelor's Degree 49 $66,023 $91,547
Mathematics. Bachelor's Degree 76 $54,362 $88,967
Economics. Bachelor's Degree 111 $54,859 $79,729
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. Bachelor's Degree 59 $30,275 $75,493
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. Bachelor's Degree 81 $46,286 $74,808
Biology, General. Bachelor's Degree 346 $33,055 $69,724

For full college-vs-major comparison + ROI leaderboards, see /college-outcomes →

🤖 AI program signal

AI + computing education at University of Maryland-Baltimore County

CS degrees (annual)
488
CIP 11.0701 + 11.0101

Full multi-lens comparison: /ai-colleges →

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

University of Maryland-Baltimore County vs. another college

Type the college you want to compare against. We'll show admit rates, net price by your family income, top majors with career outcomes, and merit aid — all in one side-by-side view.

Alternatives to University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Matched not just by selectivity, but by strategic goal — what a family actually decides on.

🏆 Better merit-aid options
These similar-selectivity schools have published auto-merit grids that University of Maryland-Baltimore County doesnt — your kids scores could unlock real scholarship dollars.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
AL · Public
39 auto-merit scholarships on file
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
31 auto-merit scholarships on file
The University of Alabama
AL · Public
23 auto-merit scholarships on file
Mississippi State University
MS · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Alabama at Birmingham
AL · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
💰 Better out-of-state value
For families paying $110k+ income tuition, these schools cost meaningfully less than University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
Christian Brothers University
TN · Private nonprofit
$5,843/yr for $110k+ families ($19,596 less)
United States Merchant Marine Academy
NY · Public
$9,168/yr for $110k+ families ($16,271 less)
College of the Ozarks
MO · Private nonprofit
$10,426/yr for $110k+ families ($15,013 less)
CUNY Brooklyn College
NY · Public
$12,254/yr for $110k+ families ($13,185 less)
CUNY Hunter College
NY · Public
$12,259/yr for $110k+ families ($13,180 less)
🛡️ Safer in-state options
Same state, similar SAT band, but with a more forgiving admit rate — useful safety / match anchors.
Salisbury University
MD · Public
89% admit rate (vs 74% here)

Building a college list?

Use these to fit University of Maryland-Baltimore County into your overall strategy:

See your admit odds → Improve your score → Find merit aid →