Online Colleges in Maryland

Online colleges in Maryland offer students the chance to attend the state’s schools without living in or near the state.

More than just coastlines and waterways, the state of Maryland is rising to the top as a leader in higher education. The state boasts a diverse list of postsecondary schools – from top-ranking public universities to small liberal arts colleges to world-renowned private schools.

Tuition rates are in line with the national average, and the state offers an impressive list of financial aid programs. There are many reasons to pursue higher education in the state of Maryland.

Online Colleges in Maryland

Online learning is an increasingly popular option as students seek a way to earn a postsecondary degree while maintaining a career, family, and other personal obligations.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 35% of postsecondary students in Maryland are enrolled in fully online college degree programs. Approximately another 27% are participating in a hybrid of online and on-campus courses.

Maryland colleges strive to serve working adults and servicemembers around the world offering certification and degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

When researching MD online degrees, it can be helpful to keep in mind that online courses are designed to be collaborative experiences, preparing you for today’s digital environment. Some colleges even offer no-cost digital course materials, eliminating the cost of textbooks.

Online programs are available at various Maryland online colleges in a wide variety of areas, including engineering, education, arts and sciences, international studies, business, nursing, and public health.

Some colleges even offer massive open online courses, or MOOCs, which are free and open to anyone who is interested.

Many private schools in Maryland also offer excellent online learning opportunities.

Common Online Degrees in Maryland

There are a variety of Maryland online degrees to choose from. Some of the most common degrees offered online in Maryland include:

• Business Administration: A business administration online degree can introduce you to business practices and procedures through coursework in topics like business management, accounting, marketing, and business ethics and law.
• Nursing: A nursing degree is designed for professionals who want to enter the healthcare field as a nurse or in a related career. It typically covers evidence-based practices, health assessment, patient care, and anatomy and physiology.
• Cyber Technology: A program in cyber technology typically examines network security fundamentals and applications. It can help prepare you for a variety of careers in the computer and information technology field.
• Psychology: An online bachelor’s in psychology typically includes introductory coursework in psychology, research methods, and lifespan development to help students gain an understanding of the human mind and behaviors.
• Computer Science: A computer science program can introduce you to computer software and systems through courses in topics such as programming, data structures and analysis, computer algorithms, and more.

These are just a few examples of online degrees that may be offered by Maryland online universities.

Overview of Higher Education in Maryland

In Maryland, there are 49 degree-granting institutions, according to the NCES. Of these, 29 are public, 18 are private non-profit, and 2 are private for-profit.

The NCES reports that Maryland residents pay an average of $9,401 a year in tuition and fees to attend one of the state’s public 4 year institutions. Non-residents, on the other hand, pay close to $26,376. Both are right in line with the national averages.

Maryland residents are also supported by the state’s involvement in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), which encourages resource sharing among the 16 participating states.

Through SREB’s Academic Common Market, Maryland residents can enroll in qualifying out-of-state courses and programs in participating states while paying in-state tuition rates.

Employment Outlook for College Graduates in Maryland

There are approximately 2.6 million professionals employed in Maryland, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The annual median salary for all occupations combined is $51,420. This is higher than the national annual median salary for all occupations.

Occupational groups with some of the highest levels of employment in Maryland are office and administrative support, sales, management transportation and material moving, and business and financial operations.

Some of the careers with the highest levels of employment that typically require a bachelor’s degree for entry include registered nurses, elementary school teachers, project management specialists, and software developers.

The BLS states that Maryland’s unemployment rate is 2.7%, which is lower than the national unemployment rate.

Careers & Salaries in Maryland

There are several key industries in Maryland, including life sciences, cybersecurity and information technology, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and aviation, and agribusiness.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the annual median salaries of Maryland careers that may be attainable with a bachelor’s degree:

Earning an online degree can help you gain essential skills and knowledge that prospective employers in your desired field value. It can also be beneficial if you wish to advance in your current field.

According to employment projections provided by the BLS, the unemployment rate is lower for professionals with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Specific careers and salaries are not guaranteed with a degree, though. Job availability and salaries depend on a number of factors, including location, experience, and education.

Maryland Colleges Online Admissions Requirements

Maryland online college admissions offices may request a number of materials to determine your eligibility for admission. Some general admissions materials that may be required include:

• High school diploma or GED
• Official high school transcript or equivalent
• SAT, ACT, or other test scores (only some schools require these)
• College essay

You may be asked to submit these materials along with an application form with questions about yourself.

Some institutions may request a college essay with a provided prompt. Examples of common college essay prompts include how you’ve solved a problem or overcame an obstacle or what you hope to accomplish academically.

MD Online Colleges Accreditation

Accreditation is the screening process that colleges and universities choose to go through to prove that they meet quality educational standards. A third-party accrediting organization is responsible for establishing educational standards, which are used to review various aspects of an institution.

Attending a regionally accredited institution is important because a nonaccredited institution may limit some of your opportunities.

Employers and graduate admissions offices often consider the accreditation status of an institution when reviewing applications. Attending an institution that is not regionally accredited may also prevent financial aid eligibility.

You can view a list of regional accrediting organizations and find accredited institutions on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

If you’re interested in pursuing a degree from one of the many online colleges in MD, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be a good place to start.

The FAFSA opens the door to federal, state, and many forms of private financial assistance. Each year, the FAFSA is released on October 1st, and since many funds are distributed on a first come first served basis, it’s important to complete your application as soon as possible.

The information you provide on the FAFSA will be used to calculate how much financial aid you are offered.

Grants and scholarships are other types of financial aid and are often seen as ideal because they don’t have to be paid back as long as they are used appropriately.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission funds many need-based grants and scholarship programs exclusively for residents. One program that provides several grants is The Howard P. Rawlings Program of Educational Excellence, which awards the following:

• Guaranteed Access Grant: Awards 100% of financial need to qualifying high school seniors who complete a college preparatory program or earn a GED
• Educational Assistance Grant: Awards $400-3,000 to qualifying high school seniors or full-time undergraduates
• Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant: Provides $400-3,000 to assist those who did not receive the Educational Assistance Grant due to not completing the FAFSA before the Maryland state deadline

Other scholarships and awards funded by the Maryland Higher Education Commission are:

• 2+2 Transfer Scholarship: Awards $1,000-2,000 to qualifying community college students transferring to a 4 year institution
• Part-Time Grant: Provides $200-2,000 to chosen part-time undergraduates and students dual-enrolled in high school and college
• Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program: Awards $1,000-5,000 to chosen graduate and professional students studying dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, or veterinary medicine
• Community College Promise Scholarship: Need and merit-based award of up to $5,000 for students pursuing a registered apprenticeship, licensure, certification, or an associate’s degree through a community college
• Near Completer Grant: Provides up to one-third of tuition to chosen residents who started a degree but did not finish it

MHEC also offers grants and scholarships for unique populations, such as those in the military or National Guard, those who have been in foster care, homeless youth, and those with disabilities.

They offer career-based aid in a number of fields, including firefighting, ambulance and rescue squad, nursing, and other fields that experience shortages. Finally, they provide loan assistance repayment programs for some individuals. The MHEC website has information on all of these financial assistance programs.

Grants and scholarships can also come from private sources. Here are some of the many private scholarships open to Maryland residents:

• Cynthia E. Morgan Memorial Scholarship: $1,000
• Jewish Community Services (JCS) Scholarships: Varies
• The Kahdine Ann DaCosta Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Leadership: $1,000
• The Letitia B. Carter Scholarship: $500-2,000
• Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults: $2,500

Also, it can be helpful to check with the financial aid office at the college or university you plan to attend. They may be able to offer additional aid to admitted students.

Maryland Online Education Resources

These are some examples of online education resources you can explore to help you navigate college and career preparation:

• Articulation System for Maryland Colleges and Universities: This site provides resources on credit transfers, college courses, majors, and transfer programs with participating institutions.
• Maryland Open Source Textbook Initiative: This higher education resource center offers information on grant programs and professional development workshops and webinars.
• Maryland.gov: Maryland’s government website provides many resources for employment and training, internships, financial aid, and links to other helpful resources.

These resources may give you valuable information on financial aid opportunities, employment, and college planning.

How Much Does It Cost to Go to an Online University in Maryland?

A variety of expenses, such as tuition, room and board, and school fees, add up to equal the total cost of attendance.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and room and board, for in-state students at Maryland public institutions is $22,380 a year. The average cost of just tuition and fees for out-of-state students is $26,376 a year.

The average cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and room and board, for a 4 year private institution is $58,134 a year.

Attending a Maryland online university might be cheaper compared to in-person programs since some expenses may not apply, but online students may be subject to fees exclusive to distance learning.

Tuition Breaks for Out-of-State Students

Attending a college or university out-of-state is often more expensive, even for online programs. You may have the opportunity to reduce your cost of tuition as an out-of-state student if you’re eligible for a state reciprocity program.

State reciprocity programs allow institutions to cut down tuition costs for students by sharing resources. Maryland participates in the Academic Common Market (ACM), which is a multi-state reciprocity program offered by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).

The program allows students who live in other participating states to attend a participating Maryland college or university at a lower out-of-state tuition rate. You can search ACM-approved institutions and programs available in your state on the SREB website.

Students must be accepted into the program of their choosing before applying to the ACM to be considered for an out-of-state tuition discount.

What Jobs Are in Demand in Maryland?

Based on data provided by the Maryland Department of Labor, these are some of the associate- and bachelor’s-level jobs in Maryland that have the most openings and a positive employment growth percentage:

• Registered nurses
• Medical and health services managers
• Management analysts
• Preschool teachers
• Software developers

These are entry-level positions that may be attainable with less than five years of work experience. Additional certification or licensure may be required for some positions, such as registered nurses and preschool teachers. Some licensure or certification requirements may be fulfilled during a bachelor’s program.

What Are the High Paying Jobs in Maryland?

According to the BLS, these are some of the highest paying jobs in Maryland that may be attainable with a bachelor’s degree and their annual median salaries:

• Chief Executives: $218,480
• Computer and Information Systems Managers: $165,360
• Architectural and Engineering Managers: $159,760
• Sales Engineers: $155,710
• Financial Managers: $143,06

Salaries can widely vary depending on where you live within the state and how much work experience you have. Professionals typically advance to management-level positions once they’ve gained years of work experience in their field.

List of Online Colleges in Maryland

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Bowie State University offers a limited number of undergraduate and graduate degrees that can be completed fully online. Most of these programs follow an accelerated schedule, with courses that are 8 weeks long.

Fields of study offered include computer science, criminal justice, computer technology, management information systems, and educational leadership.

Bowie State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Capitol Technology University offers online degree programs designed for students who want to work in technology fields. Its programs use an innovative, proprietary delivery system.

CTU has bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs available fully online. A few bachelor’s programs are only available online for the last two years. Areas of study offered include artificial intelligence, counterterrorism, and space operations.

Capitol Technology University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Coppin State University offers online degree programs designed to help students start new careers or advance in their current careers.

Coppin offers over 57 programs, several of which are fully online. The school offers four online undergraduate degree programs in management, management information systems, early childhood education, and health information management.

Coppin State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Frostburg State University offers several online learning programs designed for students with busy schedules. Most classes are asynchronous, but some have synchronous components. Many programs are available fully online, while others are offered in a blended or hybrid format.

FSU offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees online in fields such as nursing, education, and computer science.

Frostburg State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Goucher College’s online programs are designed to be flexible for working students and those with families.

The school currently offers three master’s degrees that can be earned fully online: a Master’s in Higher Education Policy, Research, and Administration, a Master’s in Education, and a Master’s in Teaching. Courses are taken in 8 week blocks.

Goucher also offers degrees through low-residency programs in fields like cultural sustainability.

Goucher College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Hood College currently offers a limited number of graduate degrees for online students. The school strives to offer students a high-quality and affordable education with some of the lowest tuition costs in the country.

Hood College offers five different fully online degree programs. Areas of study offered include cybersecurity, mathematics education, and information technology.

Hood College is accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.

Johns Hopkins University offers online degree programs and courses to its students and to those who aren’t enrolled in the school. Undergraduate and graduate programs are available. Many are designed with working students in mind.

Fields of study offered include business, film and media, bioinformatics, environmental sciences and policy, and museum studies.

Johns Hopkins University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Loyola University—Maryland offers a limited number of online graduate degree programs. All online programs are offered through Loyola University’s School of Education, and they are all fully online.

Concentrations offered include Educational Technology, Reading Specialist, Teaching English Language Learners, and Montessori Education.

Loyola University Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Many students at the Maryland University of Integrative Health opt to earn their degrees online. The school’s online degree programs follow the same schedule as the rest of the university. Many of these programs are fully online, but some are offered in a hybrid format. Some courses have asynchronous components.

Areas of study offered include clinical herbal medicine and herbal product design and manufacture.

The Maryland University of Integrative Health is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

McDaniel College puts a lot of effort into making its online programs innovative, interactive, and just as rigorous as their in-person counterparts. Programs are either fully online or in a hybrid format with low residency.

Areas of study offered include clinical mental health counseling, data analytics, educational leadership, gerontology, and human resources management.

McDaniel College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Morgan State University’s online degree programs are designed with flexibility in mind. Students can earn or complete their degrees while still working and meeting family obligations.

Morgan State offers three graduate programs, a doctoral degree, and two post-baccalaureate certificates that can be earned online. Areas of study offered include project management, business administration, social work, sustainable urban communities, and community college leadership.

Morgan State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Mount St. Mary’s University provides students with a Catholic-based education. The school offers online and evening courses to better accommodate students’ busy schedules. 

Mount St. Mary’s University currently offers graduate degrees and certificates online. Several programs are fully online, and many have synchronous components. Areas of study offered include instructional design and technology, health administration, applied behavior analysis, and biotechnology and management.

Mount St. Mary’s University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Notre Dame of Maryland University was named one of the best online colleges in Maryland by College Choice. It provides students with a Catholic liberal arts education.

NDMU currently offers two bachelor’s, two master’s, and two doctoral degree programs completely online. Areas of study offered include nursing, contemporary communication, and higher education leadership for changing populations.

Notre Dame of Maryland University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

U.S. News & World Report named Salisbury University #40 in the country for affordable programs. The school offers a limited number of online degrees. Some of these programs are fully online, while others are offered in a hybrid format.

Salisbury offers a Bachelor’s in Social Work that can be completed online. Master’s and doctoral degrees are available in fields like nursing.

Salisbury University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Stevenson University strives to make degrees affordable for all students through its online learning programs. Many students are eligible for prior learning credits.

Stevenson University offers over 30 degrees and certificates that can be earned online. It also offers a bachelor’s to master’s program. Areas of study offered include forensic accounting, nursing, applied mathematics, and integrative learning.

Stevenson University is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Universities.

Forbes named Towson University one of the top 100 public colleges in the US. While Towson offers many online courses, it currently only offers two fully online degree programs.

Both degrees are available in the field of allied health. Students can choose between an Administration and Management track or an Advanced Respiratory Therapy track.

Towson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

The University of Baltimore offers online degree programs that are designed to fit into nontraditional students’ busy lives. The programs aim to provide online students with the same level of rigor and professor interaction as their on-campus counterparts. 

Undergraduate and graduate degrees are available in either fully online or hybrid formats in fields such as criminal justice and public administration.

The University of Baltimore is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Newsweek named the University of Maryland—College Park one of America’s Best Online Learning Schools. Students may be able to earn credits for professional experience, and the school provides lifetime career services.

The school has over 125 online undergraduate and graduate programs. Many of these programs are entirely online. Areas of study offered include history, cyber operations, and marketing.

The University of Maryland – College Park is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

The University of Maryland—Eastern Shore provides its online students with many resources to help them be successful. It wants to ensure that students are prepared for the demands of online learning.

The school currently offers courses and full degree options online. One of the programs offered is for a Master’s in Information Technology.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Washington Adventist University seeks to provide students with a high-quality education imbued in the Adventist faith.

The school currently offers a limited number of graduate degrees online. Students can earn an MBA or an MA in Public Administration entirely online. Other programs are available in a hybrid format. The school also offers accelerated night classes.

Washington Adventist University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Getting Your Online Degree in Maryland

If you are thinking about pursuing a degree at a Maryland university online, you have a lot of options. The coastal state has demonstrated its commitment to providing quality higher education, enhancing online learning opportunities, and ensuring the success of its graduates.

You can begin researching accredited online schools in Maryland to see which offers the degree programs you are interested in.

You can also view our Online Colleges in Maine and Online Colleges in Massachusetts guides for more options.