The Best Colleges & Universities in Maryland

University of Maryland, College Park

• The largest university in Maryland with 36,000 total students as of 2009, the University of Maryland, College Park is the premier university in the University System of Maryland. The school is selective despite its high enrollment, as it receives nearly 24,000 applicants each year for its 4,000 freshman spots. The University of Maryland offers over 100 diverse majors, with the most popular falling in the social sciences and business fields. And there is plenty of excitement to be had at Terrapins sporting events---the Division I basketball and football programs regularly find themselves in the national rankings, with the men's and women's basketball teams having each won national championships since 2002.

  University of Maryland
  College Park, MD 20742-5235
  (301) 405-1000
  maryland.edu

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

• The University of Maryland, Baltimore County is a public research university located about 15 minutes from downtown Baltimore and half an hour from Washington, D.C. The school has approximately 12,300 students (as of 2009) that study a wide range of disciplines, with an emphasis on sciences including biology, physics, and social and behavioral sciences. In 2009, 91 percent of undergraduate students were from Maryland, but UMBC is not a commuter school by any means---nearly 75 percent of freshman live on campus. UMBC's 20 varsity sports programs compete in Division I.

  University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  1000 Hilltop Circle
  Baltimore, MD 21250
  (410) 455-1000
  umbc.edu

Loyola University Maryland

• Loyola University Maryland is a private, Jesuit institution located in Baltimore. Approximately 6,000 students attend the university as of 2009, with 84 percent of undergrads hailing from out of state. Loyola is especially known for its communications and business programs---nearly half the school's students study a related discipline---and a low student-to-faculty ratio that allows students more access to their professors. The Loyola Greyhounds' 17 varsity athletic teams compete in Division I.

  Loyola University Maryland
  4501 North Charles Street
  Baltimore, MD 21210
  (800) 221-9107
  loyola.edu

Johns Hopkins University

• Founded in 1876 by its philanthropist namesake, Johns Hopkins University is one of the leading academic institutions in the country. Located in Baltimore, the university finished 14th in U.S. News and World Report's rankings of national universities in 2009. Affiliated with the internationally renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital, the university is perhaps best known for its rigorous health and science programs. Johns Hopkins has a total enrollment of approximately 5,800 students as of 2009, and 80% of its undergraduates finished in the top tenth of their high school class. The school's sports teams participate in Division III with the exception of lacrosse, in which the school has been a Division I powerhouse for many years.

  Johns Hopkins University
  3400 North Charles Street
  Baltimore, MD 21218
  (410) 516-8000
  jhu.edu