Head coach Mark Turgeon and his Terrapins will be facing Will Wade’s Tigers in the next round of the NCAA Championship. We’re still waiting to see how UMCP will fare in that game, but there are several other contests where UMCP has already been crowned the victor.
Ranking the Basketball Program at UMCP
College Factual’s sports rankings take into account how students perform both on and off the court to identify those schools where students are more likely to obtain post-college success after playing college ball. Since less than 1% of student athletes go on to play professional sports, this is an extremely important ranking.
For the 2019 College Factual rankings, UMCP comes in at #30 for Division I Men’s Basketball. This puts the school’s basketball program in the top 10% of all Division I programs that were reviewed in the nationwide analysis.
Louisiana State University, on the other hand, landed the #145 spot. So, UMCP wins in this category.
UMCP has had a strong season with its 22-10 win-loss record, but that’s not the only thing this Big Ten Conference school is known for. Let’s take a look at other areas where UMCP is a clear winner.
Note: Factors used in College Factual’s rankings include athletic competitiveness, overall quality of school, and financial resources available to the team.
Outcomes of UMCP Students
Great Academic Progress Rate
One important tool used to measure the academic performance of a college basketball team is the Academic Progress Rate (APR). UMCP’s APR is 960, which is 7 points higher than Louisiana State University’s APR of 953.
Having a high APR is important for many reasons. For one, it’s a good indicator that you’ll be able to graduate on time with a degree in hand. For another, it means your team is less likely to receive a sanction from the NCAA that could restrict scholarship money or even prevent you from participating in postseason play.
Make More Money
One way to measure post-college success is to look at how much money you’ll make after you get your degree. The average entry-level salary for a UMCP graduate is $45,380, while the average for a Louisiana State University graduate is $39,483.
That 14.9% difference in salary adds up over time, and it could even help you pay off any student loans or buy a new home faster.
More Likely to Graduate on Time
The longer you spend working on your degree, the more the bills will stack up. So, by finishing college on time, you could end up spending tens of thousands of dollars less than those students who took a year or more longer to graduate.
UMCP students should be smiling since their average time to graduate is 4.2 years, while Louisiana State University students spend an average of 4.5 years working in their degrees.
Less Likely to Default on Student Loans
If you’re lucky, you won’t have to take out any student loans for college, but for those that do, it’s a good idea to know upfront that you’ll be able to pay them back. One indicator of this is a school’s student loan default rate.
UMCP’s student loan default rate is only 2.4% while Louisiana State University’s is 5.2%. This means that UMCP graduates are more likely to be able to make their student loan payments than Louisiana State University graduates.
Off the Court: Other Rankings
Educational Quality
College Factual’s quality ranking is based on factors such as student outcomes, average student test scores, degree completion, and post-graduate earnings.
In terms of overall school quality, UMCP ranks #102 out of 1.779 schools. This puts UMCP solidly in the top 10% of all schools in the country.
This is 162 positions higher than Louisiana State University’s ranking of #264.
Diversity
Diversity is another important aspect of student life, and a diverse college experience can help prepare students for their future careers. College Factual’s diversity rankings take four factors into account — age, race, gender, and geographic origin of students on campus.
Out of the 2238 colleges in the nation that were looked at in this ranking, UMCP came in at #141. This puts UMCP in the top 10% countrywide, making it an excellent choice for students who want to meet others from all types of backgrounds. Louisiana State University is ranked at #410.
Veterans
Veterans are a specific type of non-traditional student who also look for several additional things when making their college decision. These factors may include veteran affordability, the presence of other veterans on campus, and the availability of veteran resources and support centers. Of course, overall quality is also a factor in these rankings.
Out of 1820 schools, UMCP ranked #5 on College Factual’s Best Schools for Veterans report.
UMCP Fast Facts
- The student-to-faculty ratio at UMCP is 17 to 1 as compared to Louisiana State University’s ratio of 22 to 1. A lower student-to-faculty ratio generally means that students have more opportunities to interact with their professors one on one.
- The average cost per year to attend UMCP is $39,640, while the average cost to attend Louisiana State University is $34,624.
- Veterans may appreciate that there are 966 GI Bill® recipients at UMCP, while Louisiana State University has 947.
- The freshman retention rate at UMCP is 95%, while it is only 83% at Louisiana State University. This means fewer freshmen transfer or drop out from UMCP.
- UMCP has a 4-year graduation rate of 69%, while Louisiana State University’s is only 39%
- UMCP has approximately 29,868 undergraduates, while Louisiana State University has 25,444.
If you want to continue comparing UMCP and Louisiana State University head-to-head on the factors that matter the most to you, check out College Factual’s free tool, College Combat®.
