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Program Rankings · Maryland

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maryland

Ranked by a weighted composite of outcomes, affordability, selectivity, academic profile, and program depth. Based on NCES IPEDS 2023–24 completions data.

29
Colleges Ranked
15
4-Year Programs
22
Public Colleges
United States
Top Ranked
Ranking Methodology: Each college earns a major score = 70% global composite score (outcomes 30%, affordability 25%, selectivity 20%, academic 15%, breadth 10%) + 30% program depth score (graduates in this major ÷ total enrollment, normalized across all US colleges).
1
63
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis · Public · 4-year
9% accept92% grad rate24 graduates/yr
#84 nationally
2
59
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
8% accept95% grad rate105 graduates/yr
#4 nationally
3
51
McDaniel College
Westminster · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
84% accept64% grad rate9 graduates/yr
#1843 nationally
#4
50
Hood College
Frederick · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
78% accept55% grad rate15 graduates/yr
#2175 nationally
#5
50
Washington College
Chestertown · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
66% accept74% grad rate12 graduates/yr
#2183 nationally
#6
48
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore · Public · 4-year
74% accept70% grad rate$9,238 in-state15 graduates/yr
#3060 nationally
#7
46
St. John's College
Annapolis · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
44% accept67% grad rate273 graduates/yr
#285 nationally
#8
46
Towson University
Towson · Public · 4-year
83% accept68% grad rate$7,382 in-state39 graduates/yr
#3536 nationally
#9
42
Montgomery College
Rockville · Public · 2-year
$8,190 in-state3,015 graduates/yr
#372 nationally
#10
41
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold · Public · 2-year
$6,984 in-state1,623 graduates/yr
#499 nationally
#11
41
Howard Community College
Columbia · Public · 2-year
$7,155 in-state1,995 graduates/yr
#679 nationally
#12
41
Prince George's Community College
Largo · Public · 2-year
$5,016 in-state1,848 graduates/yr
#495 nationally
#13
40
College of Southern Maryland
La Plata · Public · 2-year
$5,880 in-state1,107 graduates/yr
#930 nationally
#14
40
Frederick Community College
Frederick · Public · 2-year
$6,768 in-state702 graduates/yr
#678 nationally
#15
40
Harford Community College
Bel Air · Public · 2-year
$5,640 in-state1,071 graduates/yr
#932 nationally
About Liberal Arts Programs in Maryland

Maryland offers 29 accredited liberal arts programs across public and private institutions. Our rankings use NCES IPEDS 2023–24 completions data to measure how many graduates each college produces in this field relative to its total enrollment, combined with overall college quality metrics.

The ranking formula weights overall college quality at 70% — covering graduation outcomes, net price affordability, admissions selectivity, and academic profile of enrolled students — and program-specific depth at 30%, rewarding schools that genuinely specialize in liberal arts.

For in-state students, public colleges often offer significantly lower costs. Complete the FAFSA to determine need-based aid eligibility regardless of your income level. Aid availability can dramatically change the actual cost of attendance.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Based on our composite ranking — which weighs outcomes (graduation rates), affordability (net price), selectivity, academic profile, and program depth — the top-ranked college for Liberal Arts in Maryland is United States Naval Academy. We rank all accredited institutions offering this program using NCES IPEDS 2023–24 data.

Explore Other Majors in Maryland