Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Maryland
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Maryland14 schools
14 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in Maryland.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · PublicHonor RollTop 5% for graduation
- Pays back in about 1.8 years
- Earnings $82,860 ten years out
- 2
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maryland
- Pays back in about 1.9 years
- Earnings $87,555 ten years out
- 3
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD · PublicTop 15% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.0 years
- Earnings $69,960 ten years out
- 4
Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.6 years
- Earnings $82,652 ten years out
- 5
Towson University
Towson, MD · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.3 years
- Earnings $64,390 ten years out
- 6
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.5 years
- Earnings $65,344 ten years out
- 7
Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD · PublicTop 24% for graduation
- Pays back in about 5.4 years
- Earnings $61,515 ten years out
- 8
Mount St. Mary's University
Emmitsburg, MD · Private nonprofitTop 20% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.8 years
- Earnings $64,072 ten years out
- 9
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, MD · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Pays back in about 6.3 years
- Earnings $60,110 ten years out
- 10
Washington College
Chestertown, MD · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- Pays back in about 6.5 years
- Earnings $65,518 ten years out
- 11
McDaniel College
Westminster, MD · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Pays back in about 7.1 years
- Earnings $60,663 ten years out
- 12
Stevenson University
Owings Mills, MD · Private nonprofitTop 23% for graduation
- Pays back in about 7.7 years
- Earnings $62,079 ten years out
- 13
Goucher College
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Pays back in about 19.3 years
- Earnings $53,023 ten years out
- 14
St. John's College
Annapolis, MD · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Pays back in about 56.6 years
- Earnings $51,584 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland-College Park | $15,678 | $19,000 | $82,860 | 89% |
| Johns Hopkins University | $18,809 | $10,250 | $87,555 | 94% |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County | $16,467 | $19,500 | $69,960 | 70% |
| Loyola University Maryland | $30,574 | $27,000 | $82,652 | 79% |
| Towson University | $17,413 | $18,718 | $64,390 | 69% |
| Notre Dame of Maryland University | $19,169 | $22,666 | $65,344 | 50% |
| Salisbury University | $17,743 | $21,000 | $61,515 | 68% |
| Mount St. Mary's University | $22,655 | $25,391 | $64,072 | 65% |
| St. Mary's College of Maryland | $18,441 | $21,000 | $60,110 | 70% |
| Washington College | $27,898 | $26,956 | $65,518 | 65% |
| McDaniel College | $21,916 | $25,000 | $60,663 | 63% |
| Stevenson University | $26,505 | $26,000 | $62,079 | 68% |
| Goucher College | $22,470 | $26,000 | $53,023 | 57% |
| St. John's College | $45,597 | $27,000 | $51,584 | 71% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13