Rankings / By State
Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland
- 10
- Schools
- $66,145
- Avg. Earnings
- 64%
- Avg. Graduation
- $18,183
- Avg. Net Price
- $20,779
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Graduate earnings span a wide band on this list, from $35,823 at the low end to $87,555 at the top. That 2.4× spread shows how much outcomes vary within a single category.
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University of Maryland-College Park offers the strongest payback. Graduates earn a median of $82,860 against $15,678 in annual net price, the best earnings-to-cost ratio in this ranking.
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The most budget-friendly option on this list is Garrett College, at $9,228 annually in net price.
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Completion rates separate this field: Johns Hopkins University graduates 94% of its students, well above the 64% list average. Finishing what you start matters as much as where you start.
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Debt-to-earnings ratios favor Johns Hopkins University: graduates owe only 0.12× their yearly income, the most manageable debt burden on the list.
Surprising Comparisons
- Price and payoff diverge sharply here. Garrett College ($9,228/yr) and Loyola University Maryland ($30,574/yr) produce graduates earning $35,823 and $82,652 respectively, a far narrower earnings gap than the $21,346 cost difference would suggest.
- On a cost-adjusted basis, University of Maryland-College Park outperforms Johns Hopkins University: similar career earnings at a much lower net price.
- Completion is where this ranking's schools diverge most: Johns Hopkins University graduates 94% of its students versus 33% at Garrett College. Access without completion is opportunity unclaimed.
The Takeaway
The through line among the top-ranked schools is plain. They pair solid graduate earnings with affordable costs and meaningful social mobility. Prestige and selectivity matter far less than whether students end up better off.
What This Means for Students
Your shortlist should start with University of Maryland-College Park and Johns Hopkins University. For each school, look up the net price your family would actually pay, weigh it against typical graduate earnings, and build the decision around the return instead of the name recognition.
Why this ranking matters
Engineering is one of the higher-return fields in the economy, but the payoff depends heavily on where you study it. Graduates of these programs earn a median of about $70K within a decade, and mechanical engineer roles are projected to grow 10%. We rank programs by the outcomes they produce for graduates, not by reputation.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-06-14
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Johns Hopkins University #1 overall | $87,555 ▲ +32% vs avg | $18,809 | 94% | 93 |
| 2 Capitol Technology University #2 overall | $85,035 ▲ +29% vs avg | $22,102 | 44% | 74 |
| 3 University of Maryland-College Park #3 overall | $82,860 ▲ +25% vs avg | $15,678 | 89% | 74 |
| $82,652 ▲ +25% vs avg | $30,574 | 80% | 72 | |
| $69,960 ▲ +6% vs avg | $16,467 | 70% | 70 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland
This analysis ranks 10 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $66,145 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 64% and an average net price of $18,183.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: University of Maryland-College Park — Net Price: $15,678 | Graduation Rate: 89%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Johns Hopkins University — 94% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Johns Hopkins University — Median alumni earnings: $87,555
Our Analysis Found
Private nonprofit colleges cost 110% more in net price than publics, while their graduates earn 21% more.
Engineering Talent Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about America’s engineering talent pipeline?
$69,960
Median earnings (10yr)
64%
Median graduation rate
$16,467
Median net price
1.7%
Avg. mobility rate
Engineering remains one of the most reliable investments in higher education. Earnings are high, unemployment is low, and the skills tie directly to the physical infrastructure of the economy. ABET accreditation and co-op placements are the structural markers that separate programs, and reshoring plus federal infrastructure investment keeps amplifying demand.
The median graduation rate across these 10 schools is 64%. Median graduate earnings reach $69,960 ten years after enrollment, roughly $21,960 more than the national worker average of $48,000. Average net price, the cost after grants, is $16,467 a year, and median federal debt at graduation is about $20,264. Some 34% of students receive Pell grants, and mobility, the share of low-income students who reach the top quintile, averages 1.7%.
Engineering programs that combine ABET accreditation with co-op or internship requirements produce the strongest outcomes. Median earnings of $69,960 reflect the field’s consistent premium over other disciplines. With infrastructure spending accelerating, demand for these graduates is structural rather than cyclical.
The podium
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Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Johns Hopkins University lands at #1 with a 93/100 composite, led by academic quality (93/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (82/100). Graduates earn a median $87,555 a decade after enrolling, 32% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,809 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Capitol Technology University lands at #2 with a 74/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (77/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (52/100). Graduates earn a median $85,035 a decade after enrolling, 29% above this list's average, and net price runs $22,102 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
College Park, MD · 45% accepted · $15,678 net
Why it ranks #3
University of Maryland-College Park lands at #3 with a 74/100 composite, led by academic quality (90/100) and pulled down by social mobility (60/100). Graduates earn a median $82,860 a decade after enrolling, 25% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,678 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Loyola University Maryland lands at #4 with a 72/100 composite, led by academic quality (85/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (42/100). Graduates earn a median $82,652 a decade after enrolling, 25% above this list's average, and net price runs $30,574 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Baltimore, MD · 72% accepted · $16,467 net
Why it ranks #5
University of Maryland-Baltimore County lands at #5 with a 70/100 composite, led by academic quality (78/100) and pulled down by social mobility (66/100). Graduates earn a median $69,960 a decade after enrolling, 6% above this list's average, and net price runs $16,467 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Goucher College lands at #6 with a 69/100 composite, led by social mobility (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (52/100). Graduates earn a median $53,023 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $22,470 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
Garrett College lands at #7 with a 66/100 composite, led by social mobility (78/100) and pulled down by academic quality (55/100). Graduates earn a median $35,823 a decade after enrolling, 46% below this list's average, and net price runs $9,228 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
United States Naval Academy lands at #8 with a 63/100 composite, led by academic quality (94/100) and pulled down by social mobility (67/100). Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Morgan State University lands at #9 with a 60/100 composite, led by social mobility (62/100) and pulled down by academic quality (56/100). Graduates earn a median $50,698 a decade after enrolling, 23% below this list's average, and net price runs $14,985 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Princess Anne, MD · 96% accepted · $13,338 net
Why it ranks #10
University of Maryland Eastern Shore lands at #10 with a 57/100 composite, led by social mobility (62/100) and pulled down by academic quality (53/100). Graduates earn a median $47,697 a decade after enrolling, 28% below this list's average, and net price runs $13,338 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 9 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs — and the jobs are
Where these graduates work
Graduates of these programs most often become Mechanical Engineers and related roles — a field with $99,510 median pay and 10% projected growth.
See the Mechanical Engineer career guide →This ranking scores 10 institutions on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt burdens, and social mobility data from Opportunity Insights. Every data point comes from federal sources. No surveys, no opinions.
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in our algorithm. We use Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card — built on 30 million anonymized tax records — to measure whether a college changes a family's economic trajectory across generations. Schools that take low-income students and launch them into higher earnings rank higher than schools that admit wealthy students and take credit for their success.
The transparency penalty matters here. Schools that don't report their data get scored lower than schools that do. If an institution won't show you its numbers, we think you should know that before you write them a tuition check.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in this ranking, and the measure comes from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built from more than 30 million anonymized tax records. Across the 4 schools here with that data, the average mobility rate is 1.7%. That figure is the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top. Goucher College leads the group at 2.2%, with Johns Hopkins University (2.2%) and Garrett College (2%) close behind.
Access varies widely. On average, 7.6% of students at these schools come from families in the bottom income quintile. Garrett College enrolls the most, at 18.8%, a sign it is reaching the students mobility is meant to lift. A high mobility rate paired with strong access is the combination that changes a generation's trajectory.
For the low-income students who do enroll, the success rate (the odds of reaching the top quintile) averages 36.1% across the list, peaking at 58.6% at Johns Hopkins University.
These campuses can also be measured on social capital: the cross-class friendships Opportunity Insights links to long-run economic outcomes. Economic connectedness here averages 1.67, where about 1.0 is the national norm, and Loyola University Maryland is highest at 1.86.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland ranking? +
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $87,555 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 94% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Johns Hopkins University posts the highest median earnings on this list: $87,555 ten years after enrollment, well above the $66,145 average across the 9 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, University of Maryland-College Park leads: graduates earn a median $82,860 against net price of about $15,678 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Johns Hopkins University has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 94%, compared with a 64% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $18,183 a year across the 9 ranked schools with cost data. Garrett College is among the most affordable at roughly $9,228. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 10 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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