2027 Best Value General Education Schools in Maryland

[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general education education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general education schools.
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2027 Best Value General Education Schools in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
For return on investment in general education, no school beat Hagerstown Community College this year. Hagerstown Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Hagerstown. Students from in state pay about $4,320 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,190. General Education graduates carry a median of $15,126 in student loans. General Education graduates of Hagerstown Community College earn a median of $46,478 early in their careers. Set against $15,126 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at Harford Community College, which ranked #2. Harford Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Bel Air. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,032, compared with $8,832 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,624 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $50,636. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The Community College Of Baltimore County earned it the #3 place for general education. The Community College Of Baltimore County is a very large public school located in the suburb of Baltimore. In-state tuition and fees average $4,110, with out-of-state students paying around $10,182. Students borrow a median of $16,804 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of The Community College Of Baltimore County earn a median of $52,440 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,804 median debt.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public school located in the suburb of Baltimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,256, compared with $31,225 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $21,331. General Education graduates of University Of Maryland Baltimore County earn a median of $55,239 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Frostburg State University earned it the #5 place for general education. Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Frostburg. In-state tuition and fees average $10,220, with out-of-state students paying around $25,814. General Education graduates carry a median of $25,340 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Frostburg State University generally make around $56,800. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Frostburg State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Towson University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value general education schools. Set in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,728, while out-of-state students pay about $29,820. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $21,241. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Towson University generally make around $55,722. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Salisbury University landed the #7 spot for general education value this year. Located in the suburb of Salisbury, Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,084, while out-of-state students pay about $22,174. General Education graduates carry a median of $23,545 in student loans. Early-career general education graduates make about $51,377. Set against $23,545 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
St Marys College Of Maryland ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value general education schools. Located in the rural area of St. Mary's City, St Marys College Of Maryland is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,298, compared with $31,374 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $22,655. Early-career general education graduates make about $41,665. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Johns Hopkins University came in at #9 for value in general education this year. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $64,730. General Education graduates carry a median of $13,426 in student loans. General Education graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of $63,838 early in their careers. Set against $13,426 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland came in at #10 for value in general education this year. College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $43,360. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland generally make around $63,279. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Goucher College came in at #11 for value in general education this year. Located in the city of Baltimore, Goucher College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $53,350. Students borrow a median of $25,406 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $63,622. That is a strong return on a $25,406 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.