Maryland
Student Access & Success
Maryland’s four-year institutions receive a good grade in this area, ranking in the top 15 for retention rate, completion rate, and credentials produced per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates. Maryland’s two- year institutions, however, receive a poor grade despite a relatively high retention rate, the state is in the bottom third nationally in both completion rate and the percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants.
Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness
Maryland receives a very good grade in this area for four-year institutions, with a cost per completion ($52,722) and state and local funding per completion ($30,848) ranking in the top third of all states. Maryland’s two-year institutions, however, receive a low grade, with a cost per completion ($69,910) and state and local funding per completion ($44,932) in the bottom third nationally.
Meeting Labor Market Demand
The median wage of a Maryland bachelor’s degree holder is approximately $24,400 (or 67%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate for a bachelor’s degree holder is about 4 points lower. The median wage of an associate’s degree holder is approximately $14,000 (or 38%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate is about 3.5 points lower.
Transparency & Accountability
Maryland receives below average scores for its consumer information and public accountability resources. The state neither tracks student labor market outcomes, nor does it measure student learning.
Policy Environment
Maryland’s state plan does not have any goals for student outcomes or system efficiency. The state does have a strong articulation policy; the Articulation System for Maryland Colleges and Universities lists course equivalencies for each institution. The state does not use outcomes-based funding.
Innovation
The “Maryland Online” website provides information about online programs and courses available at the state’s four- and two-year institutions, but information about the transfer of online credits is more difficult to come by. Maryland also features the largest public online university—University of Maryland University College—in the country, but the state does not have a clear goal concerning online learning. Regarding new providers, cross-border institutions are unlikely to trigger the regulatory process in Maryland, but once they do the state’s approval process is quite burdensome and features high licensure fees.
Report Card
Compare with
Four-Year Institutions
MD Nat'l| Student Access & Success | B |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 26.0 | 30.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 81.4 | 77.9 |
| Completion Rate | 60.3 | 54.5 |
| Completions per 100 FTE Students | 22.0 | 19.7 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 3 | |
| Complete College America | * |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | A |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $52,722 | $68,140 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $30,848 | $41,198 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $61,971 | $76,932 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined Measure (5-point scale) | 5 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | B |
|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $24,393 | $17,881 |
|---|---|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 166.7 | 156.0 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $18,230 | $12,703 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 160.0 | 149.9 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 7.4 | 7.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Transparency & Accountability | D |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 4.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
Two-Year Institutions
MD Nat'l| Student Access & Success | D |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 38.2 | 46.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 61.6 | 58.6 |
| Completion Rate | 13.4 | 20.5 |
| Completions Per 100 FTE Undergraduates | 15.2 | 16.8 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 2 |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | D |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $69,910 | $57,210 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $44,932 | $35,476 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $65,424 | $52,512 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined MeasureCombined Measure (5-point Scale) | 2 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | A |
|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $14,048 | $8,545 |
|---|---|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 138.4 | 126.1 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $10,127 | $6,595 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 133.3 | 125.0 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 3.4 | 2.7 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 6.7 | 4.9 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 2.44 | 1.84 |
| Transparency & Accountability | D |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 4.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
State
MD Nat'l| Policy Environment | D |
|---|
| State Goals (6-point Scale) | 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the State Have Outcomes-Based Funding? | false | |
| Four-Year Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Two-Years Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Have a Credit Transfer Policy? | true | |
| Credit Transfer Policy (5-point Scale) | 4 |
| Innovation: Openness to Providers | D |
|---|
| Numerical Openness to New Providers Grade | 66% | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Jurisdiction | 100% | |
| Financial Burden | 47% | |
| Approval Process Burden | 50% |
| Innovation: Online Learning | C |
|---|
| Numerical Online Learning Grade | 57.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Online Learning Score (7-point Scale) | 4 |
State Facts at a Glance
- Number of Public Four-Year Institutions 12
- Number of Public Two-Year Institutions 16
- Number of Students Served by Public Four-Year Institutions 99,304
- Number of Students Served by Public Two-Year Institutions 90,929