It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Associate Degree Colleges in Maryland ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 16 colleges and universities across Maryland to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Better Early-Career Average Salaries
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. While associate degree recipients from schools in Maryland earn an average starting salary of $41,870, those from the top 15 school on this list made an average of $42,569.
Starting Salary ( 38226 to 47289 )
Student Loan Borrowing
Students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their associate so we factor that into our rankings as well.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients from schools in Maryland have accumulated an average of $17,588 in student debt.
We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty associate recipients will have paying back their loans.
Additional Ranking Factors We Use
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
Are you more interested in the top associate degree schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Our 2024 rankings named University of Maryland Global Campus the best school in Maryland in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. UMGC is located in Adelphi, Maryland and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,512 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a associate degree from UMGC make an average of $34,203 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $9,573.
A rank of #2 on our Best Associate Degree in Maryland list means Montgomery College is a great place for students working on their degree. This fairly large public school is located in Rockville, Maryland, and it awarded 2,913 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,576 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,625 in student loans.
The excellent associate degree programs at Howard Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Maryland. This medium-sized public school is located in Columbia, Maryland, and it awarded 1,341 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from HCC make an average of $49,948 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $16,419.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Anne Arundel Community College. The school came in at #4 in Maryland on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. AACC is located in Arnold, Maryland and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,791 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a associate degree from AACC go into careers with an average salary of $47,736 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $9,688.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Prince George’s Community College. The school came in at #5 in Maryland on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. PGCC is a fairly large public school situated in Largo, Maryland. It awarded 1,213 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from PGCC make an average of $46,926 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $13,300.
With a ranking of #6, Community College of Baltimore County did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland list. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the fairly large public school awarded 2,007 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $43,154 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $16,983 after getting their degree.
Frederick Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking. Frederick Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Frederick, Maryland that handed out 911 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Frederick Community College make an average of $40,826 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,157 after getting their degree.
Hagerstown Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking. HCC is located in Hagerstown, Maryland and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 625 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from HCC make an average of $43,872 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $16,150 after getting their degree.
Baltimore City Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking. This small public school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 426 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Baltimore City Community College make an average of $47,461 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $7,592.
College of Southern Maryland did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking, coming in at #10. Located in La Plata, Maryland, the small public school awarded 933 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from CSM make an average of $38,975 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,465 in student loans.
Chesapeake College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking, coming in at #11. Chesapeake College is a small public school situated in Wye Mills, Maryland. It awarded 239 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Allegany College of Maryland came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking. Allegany College of Maryland is a public institution located in Cumberland, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 519 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,196 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $18,342.
With a ranking of #13, Harford Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland list. Harford Community College is located in Bel Air, Maryland and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 872 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a associate degree from Harford Community College go into careers with an average salary of $37,466 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,979 in student loans.
Wor-Wic Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking. Wor-Wic Community College is a public institution located in Salisbury, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 326 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Wor-Wic Community College go into careers with an average salary of $42,758 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $16,252 after getting their degree.
Cecil College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland list. Cecil College is a public institution located in North East, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 279 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Cecil College go into careers with an average salary of $46,978 during the early years of their career.
Carroll Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Maryland ranking. Carroll Community College is a small public school located in Westminster, Maryland that handed out 541 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Carroll Community College is $39,463 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $15,119 in student loans.
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%.
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