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2021 Best Colleges for the Money (With No Aid) in Maryland

23 Colleges
$44,203 Avg Cost (Without Aid)*
4.3 Years Avg Time to Graduate*

Trying to decide what college is best for you is no easy matter. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Maryland Schools For The Money For Those With No Aid ranking - to help you make that decision.

Our analysis looked at 23 schools to determine which ones were the best for overall value for the money with no aid in Maryland. This ranking isn't just a listing of 'cheap' schools. Instead, it is noting which schools offer a high quality education for a reasonable price. So it is possible that College A may rank better than College B, while College B is less expensive to attend.

See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.

When determining average cost, we look at total expenses, such as tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other living expenses. This gives a rough estimation of how much money you can expect to pay out-of-pocket or through loans each year.

Custom Rankings

We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.

We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!

Top Colleges for the Money (Without Aid) in Maryland

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

Our analysis found University of Maryland - College Park to be the best school for overall value for the money with no aid in Maryland in this year’s ranking. University of Maryland - College Park is a large public school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 8,390 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.2 years for the average student at UMCP to complete their degree, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $27,866 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from UMCP is $117,316. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. UMCP also took the #2 spot in our Best Colleges in Maryland rankings.

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#2

Salisbury University

Salisbury, Maryland

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Salisbury University. The school came in at #2 in Maryland on this year’s best value ranking. Salisbury University is a medium-sized public school located in Salisbury, Maryland that handed out 1,867 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At Salisbury, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.3 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $26,404 for students who receive no aid. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Salisbury is $114,065. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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#3

St Mary's College of Maryland

St. Mary's City, Maryland

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at St Mary’s College of Maryland helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for the money in Maryland. This small public school is located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, and it awarded 480 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes the average student at SMCM about 4.1 years to graduate, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $31,147 for students who receive no aid. This means that the average student pays around $128,326 to get a bachelor’s degree from SMCM. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Maryland - Baltimore County. The school came in at #4 in Maryland on this year’s best value ranking. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the fairly large public school handed out 2,722 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At UMBC, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.4 years, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $29,030 for students who receive no aid. This means that the average student pays around $128,893 to get a bachelor’s degree from UMBC. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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#5

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Towson University. The school came in at #5 in Maryland on this year’s best value ranking. Towson is located in Towson, Maryland and has a large student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 4,786 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

It takes the average student at Towson about 4.4 years to graduate, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $27,474. This means that the average student pays around $120,886 to get a bachelor’s degree from Towson. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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#6

St John's College

Annapolis, Maryland

St John’s College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. St. John’s Annapolis is located in Annapolis, Maryland and has a small student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 81 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

It takes the average student at St. John’s Annapolis about 4.1 years to graduate, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $50,001 for students who receive no aid. This means that the average student pays around $203,504 to get a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s Annapolis. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. St. John’s Annapolis also made our Best Colleges in Maryland list, coming in at #3.

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#7

Frostburg State University

Frostburg, Maryland

Frostburg State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. This medium-sized public school is located in Frostburg, Maryland, and it awarded 1,122 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At Frostburg State, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.5 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $24,650 for students who receive no aid. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State be around $111,664. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

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#8

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Maryland ranking, coming in at #8. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,747 students in 2018-2019.

The average student at Johns Hopkins graduates in less than 4.1 years, and it costs students who receive no aid about $74,028 per year to attend the school. This means that the average student pays around $302,034 to get a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Johns Hopkins is ranked #1 for overall quality in Maryland.

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#9

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Princess Anne, Maryland

With a ranking of #9, University of Maryland Eastern Shore did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. UMES is located in Princess Anne, Maryland and has a small student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 508 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at UMES is 4.6 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $24,693. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the UMES is $112,600. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

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#10

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland

Loyola University Maryland did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Maryland ranking, coming in at #10. Loyola University Maryland is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 925 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average student at Loyola Maryland graduates in less than 4.1 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $67,660 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Maryland is about $274,700. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Loyola Maryland also made our Best Colleges in Maryland list, coming in at #4.

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#11

Morgan State University

Baltimore, Maryland

Morgan State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. Morgan State is located in Baltimore, Maryland and has a medium-sized student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 1,091 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

It takes about 4.9 years for the average student at Morgan State to complete their degree, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $23,688 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Morgan State is about $116,071. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

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#12

Bowie State University

Bowie, Maryland

With a ranking of #12, Bowie State University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. Located in Bowie, Maryland, the medium-sized public school awarded 826 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.8 years for the average student at Bowie State University to complete their degree, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $24,021. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Bowie State University be around $115,541. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

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#13

Washington College

Chestertown, Maryland

With a ranking of #13, Washington College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. Washington College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chestertown, Maryland. It awarded 402 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes the average student at Washington College about 4.0 years to graduate, and it costs students who receive no aid about $65,456 per year to attend the school. This means that the average student pays around $264,442 to get a bachelor’s degree from Washington College. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Washington College not only placed well in our value rankings, but it is also #5 on our Best Colleges in Maryland list.

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#13

Coppin State University

Baltimore, Maryland

Coppin State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Maryland ranking, coming in at #13. This small public school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 382 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.7 years for the average student at Coppin to complete their degree, and it costs students who receive no aid about $23,805 per year to attend the school. This means that the average student pays around $110,931 to get a bachelor’s degree from Coppin. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

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#15

Goucher College

Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #15, Goucher College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. Goucher is located in Baltimore, Maryland and has a small student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 333 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

The average student at Goucher graduates in less than 4.1 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $64,050 for students who receive no aid. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Goucher is $264,526. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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#16

Maryland Institute College of Art

Baltimore, Maryland

Maryland Institute College of Art came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland ranking. MICA is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 396 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at MICA is 4.1 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $67,075. This means that the average student pays around $275,008 to get a bachelor’s degree from MICA. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

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#17

McDaniel College

Westminster, Maryland

McDaniel College did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Maryland ranking, coming in at #17. McDaniel is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Westminster, Maryland. It awarded 404 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.1 years for the average student at McDaniel to complete their degree, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $59,232 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from McDaniel is $243,444. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

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#18

Mount St Mary's University

Emmitsburg, Maryland

Mount St Mary’s University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland ranking. Mount St Mary’s University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Emmitsburg, Maryland. It awarded 485 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At Mount St Mary’s University, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.0 years, and it costs students who receive no aid about $58,620 per year to attend the school. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Mount St Mary’s University is $237,411. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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#19

Notre Dame of Maryland University

Baltimore, Maryland

Notre Dame of Maryland University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland ranking. Notre Dame of Maryland University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 205 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At NDMU, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.2 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $53,480. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from NDMU is about $226,755. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

The student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

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#20

Stevenson University

Stevenson, Maryland

With a ranking of #20, Stevenson University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. Stevenson University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Stevenson, Maryland that handed out 804 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Stevenson is 4.2 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $55,266 for students who receive no aid. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Stevenson is $234,328. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

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#21

Washington Adventist University

Takoma Park, Maryland

Washington Adventist University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland list. Washington Adventist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Takoma Park, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 177 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.7 years for the average student at Washington Adventist University to complete their degree, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $36,716 for students who receive no aid. This means that the average student pays around $171,097 to get a bachelor’s degree from Washington Adventist University. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

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#22

Hood College

Frederick, Maryland

Hood College did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Maryland ranking, coming in at #22. Frederick, Maryland is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 282 students in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.1 years for the average student at Hood to complete their degree, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $58,450 for students who receive no aid. This means that the average student pays around $239,645 to get a bachelor’s degree from Hood. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

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#23

Capitol Technology University

Laurel, Maryland

Capitol Technology University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Maryland ranking. Located in Laurel, Maryland, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 92 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Capitol Tech is 4.8 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $43,862 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from Capitol Tech is $210,976. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 23 schools only.

  • For our state-specific rankings, we use in-state tuition to calculate average cost. For our national and regional rankings, we use a weighted average of in-state and non-resident tuition.

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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