University of Maryland-College Park: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of Maryland-College Park is a public college in College Park, MD. Students pay about $15,678 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $82,860 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 2.3 years and adds $279,888 over a decade, ranking it #48 of 918 (top 6%) by value added.
What is University of Maryland-College Park's acceptance rate?
University of Maryland-College Park has an acceptance rate of 44.8%, which makes it selective. It is a public institution in College Park, MD enrolling about 30,760 students, with a 88.6% graduation rate.
How much does University of Maryland-College Park cost?
University of Maryland-College Park costs about $15,678 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $81,712. Published sticker cost of attendance is $29,299 per year.
How much do University of Maryland-College Park graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Maryland-College Park student earns $82,860 per year. That is $36,160 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of Maryland-College Park worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of Maryland-College Park pays back its roughly $81,712 cost in about 2.3 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $279,888 net of cost, a 4.43x return on the money invested. That ranks it #48 of 918 (top 6%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and public-school pricing.
Top 10% value
University of Maryland-College Park graduation rate and student debt
88.6% of University of Maryland-College Park students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $19,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 23% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of Maryland-College Park by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of Maryland-College Park compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $15,678 | $20,299 | cheaper than 72% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $82,860 | $54,768 | 92th |
| Graduation rate | 88.6% | 57.0% | 95th |
| Acceptance rate | 44.8% | 75.7% | more selective than 87% |
| 10-yr value added | $279,888 | -$28,192 | 95th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 4.43x | 0.73x | 96th |
| Payback period | 2.3 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 95% |
How University of Maryland-College Park compares with its nearest rivals
University of Maryland-College Park ranks #48 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 1 of them costs less per year and 4 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
University of Maryland-College Park is a public college in College Park, MD with 30,760 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $29,299 a year, but the average aided family pays $15,678, a 46% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $19,000, equal to 23% of one year of median earnings ten years out. University of Maryland-College Park admits 44.8% of applicants.
- Clarkson University (Potsdam, NY; #47 of 918; 74.3% graduate) costs $14,627 more per year ($30,305 net), and its graduates earn $6,836 more ten years out ($89,696). Clarkson University adds $2,852 more ten-year value than University of Maryland-College Park. Clarkson University pays back its cost in 3.4 years.
- Trinity College (Hartford, CT; #49 of 918; 83.3% graduate) costs $19,154 more per year ($34,832 net), and its graduates earn $7,919 more ten years out ($90,779). University of Maryland-College Park adds $1,426 more ten-year value than Trinity College. Trinity College pays back its cost in 3.7 years.
- Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME; #46 of 918; 95.4% graduate) costs $1,280 less per year ($14,398 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($82,735). Bowdoin College adds $4,370 more ten-year value than University of Maryland-College Park. Bowdoin College pays back its cost in 2.1 years.
- George Washington University (Washington, DC; #50 of 918; 84.5% graduate) costs $20,908 more per year ($36,586 net), and its graduates earn $8,013 more ten years out ($90,873). University of Maryland-College Park adds $4,951 more ten-year value than George Washington University. George Washington University pays back its cost in 3.8 years.
- Jewish Theological Seminary of America (New York, NY; #45 of 918; 88.4% graduate) costs $27,517 more per year ($43,195 net), and its graduates earn $9,891 more ten years out ($92,751). Jewish Theological Seminary of America adds $7,842 more ten-year value than University of Maryland-College Park. Jewish Theological Seminary of America pays back its cost in 3.8 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish Theological Seminary of America | #45 | $43,195 | $92,751 | 88.4% | $287,730 |
| Bowdoin College | #46 | $14,398 | $82,735 | 95.4% | $284,258 |
| Clarkson University | #47 | $30,305 | $89,696 | 74.3% | $282,740 |
| University of Maryland-College Park | #48 | $15,678 | $82,860 | 88.6% | $279,888 |
| Trinity College | #49 | $34,832 | $90,779 | 83.3% | $278,462 |
| George Washington University | #50 | $36,586 | $90,873 | 84.5% | $274,937 |
Paying for University of Maryland-College Park
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is University of Maryland-College Park worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of Maryland-College Park ranks #48 of 918 (top 6%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 4.43x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of Maryland-College Park expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $15,678 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 72% of them.
Do University of Maryland-College Park graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $82,860 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 92% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of Maryland-College Park compared to other colleges?
Its 44.8% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 87% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.