10 Best Colleges and Universities Near Baltimore, MD (2025)

Baltimore, MD is one of the many cities that are heavily invested in providing quality colleges and universities to their residents.

Many of the colleges are among the nation's top-ranked institutions and are committed to offering a well-rounded education along with study abroad and internship opportunities.

We will identify the top 10 colleges in or near Baltimore, MD, and inform readers about the numerous methods to use to help cover college costs.

Featured Colleges in Baltimore, MD

The city of Baltimore has amazing colleges that are equipped to prepare students for many different careers. The list contains the 10 best colleges in or near Baltimore, MD.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University is the largest and most popular college in Baltimore. The university has 10 academic divisions that are spread across 10 campuses on three continents. The campuses include:

• Four campuses in Baltimore
• One campus in Washington, D.C.
• Campuses in Italy and China

The majority of the undergraduate students study at the Homewood campus which is a total of 140 acres and consists of both the School of Engineering and School of Arts & Sciences divisions.

The university also offers degree programs in the areas of:

• Business
• Education
• Medicine
• Nursing
• Public Health
• International Studies

Once enrolled, students are exposed to over 450 student-run organizations and numerous study-abroad programs.

2. University of Maryland, Baltimore County

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County is a highly-rated public university that is located near the Baltimore area.

The college is a mid-sized institution with over 10,000 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students.

More than half of the classes have under 50 students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17 to 1. Overall, the college is small enough to provide personal attention to all of its students.

The most popular majors offered by the institution include:

• Psychology
• Biology
• Information Science

3. University of Baltimore

The University of Baltimore is another public institution that offers a wide range of credible degree programs.

The college has over 70 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs that prepare students for in-demand careers.

The university offers plenty of flexibility and classes are delivered in day, evening, weekend, and online formats. Total enrollment is around 3,082 students and 52% of students are full-time.

Popular areas of study include:

• Law, Justice, and Public Affairs
• Business and Entrepreneurship
• Communication and Design
• Cybersecurity, Gaming, and Technology

4. Loyola University Maryland

Loyola University Maryland is a Catholic university that is committed to providing educational and spiritual foundations. The university offers more than 30 majors and over 45 graduate degree programs.

The university is highly involved in community service work and is committed to building relationships with other nearby communities.

The college offers a wide variety of programs that cover many areas of study. Some of these areas include:

• Economics
• Finance
• Business Administration
• Natural Sciences
• Engineering
• Communications

This college is an ideal choice for individuals who wish to have a smaller faculty-to-student ratio.

5. Goucher College

Goucher College is a private college in the Baltimore area. It is a small institution that has over 1,000 undergraduate and 900 graduate students.

Students who are actively enrolled span across 43 U.S. states and 28 countries.

The college offers a close-knit community that allows students to become involved in both study abroad programs and internship opportunities.

The college offers over 100 study abroad programs that cover over 40 countries and last for three weeks at a time.

6. Morgan State University

Morgan State University is a public, HBCU institution that has a history of educating students since 1867.

The college offers more than 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate level.

The institution is classified as a high research facility that helps to address the needs and challenges of the environment through community-level study and solutions.

The most popular majors include:

• Liberal Arts and Humanities
• Business
• Civil Engineering

7. Coppin State University

Coppin State University is another public university that is located in Baltimore, MD. Similar to Morgan State University, the college is an HBCU that has a history of educating black Americans.

It is considered to be a small institution that offers 53 academic programs that are comprised of:

• 32 baccalaureate programs
• 11 master's programs
• 1 doctorate program
• 9 certificate programs

The academic programs available cover areas in:

• Education
• STEM
• Criminal Justice
• Business
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Health

Admissions are fairly competitive as the university's acceptance rate is around 48%.

8. Notre Dame of Maryland University

Notre Dame of Maryland University is a small institution that offers over 110 academic programs. Once admitted, students can study the areas of:

• Arts, Sciences, & Business
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Education
• Pharmacy
• Physician Assistant Studies

The degree programs available are offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Some programs are even delivered fully online.

9. University of Maryland Baltimore

The University of Maryland Baltimore has nearly 6,700 students in six nationally ranked professional schools: dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work.

The university offers 97 doctoral, master's, baccalaureate, and certificate programs with the majority of students enrolled in graduate degree programs.

Popular majors offered by the university include nursing, dental hygiene, and medical laboratory technician.

10. Towson University

Towson University is a nationally recognized college that has a 150-year history of advancing higher education.

The university offers more than 110 undergraduate majors and concentration tracks and over 7,000 internships each year.

In addition, the college offers:

• 47 master's degree programs
• Seven doctoral degree programs
• 36 graduate certificates

The average class size is 24 with a 15 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio.

What Is the Biggest School Near Baltimore, MD?

The biggest college in or near the Baltimore area is Johns Hopkins University. The university enrolls more than 24,000 full-time and part-time students across all of its campuses and divisions.

How To Choose the Right College Near Baltimore, MD

Colleges in or near the Baltimore, MD area are very diverse and welcome all types of students. Location and costs are factors that should be considered when selecting a college.

The degree of interest is important as well as some colleges may not offer the area of study that a student is interested in.

Paying for Your Degree Near Baltimore, MD

Like many other colleges and universities, students enrolled in colleges in the Baltimore, MD area are eligible to apply for student financial aid.

Through the use of federal aid, students can receive loans and college grants that can help lower their education costs.

There are many other programs, such as tuition assistance and work-study that can also be used to cover a student's tuition.

Along with this, there are an endless number of scholarship opportunities for students to apply for.

Start Your Degree Near Baltimore, MD Today

Colleges in the Baltimore area offer many benefits for students to enjoy the city as well as to earn a college degree.

The majority of the colleges are widely known to offer degree programs that cover many different areas of study.