Top 10 Private Colleges and Universities in Maryland in 2027

1. Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University ranks first because its six-year graduation rate near 94% leads Maryland's private sector by a wide margin, and its roughly $63,000 sticker price is offset by one of the nation's most generous need-based aid programs, including no-loan policies for many admitted families. With a student-faculty ratio near 6:1 despite about 6,000 undergraduates, it offers unmatched research access.

This university is for students who thrive in an intense, pre-professional culture and want a name that opens doors nationally. It trades intimacy for scale and pressure, and some students are flattened by that environment. Compared to Loyola University Maryland's near 83% graduation rate, Hopkins's outcomes justify its higher sticker for those who qualify for need aid.

2. Loyola University Maryland

Loyola University Maryland ranks second with a six-year graduation rate near 83%, the second-highest in Maryland's private sector, and a student-faculty ratio near 11:1 across roughly 5,000 undergraduates. Its Sellinger School of Business holds AACSB accreditation, a concrete credential for business majors. Published tuition runs near $53,000, with room and board adding approximately $16,000, bringing full cost of attendance to roughly $69,000 before aid. The Baltimore location supplies a dense clinical, corporate, and cultural internship market.

This university suits students who want the resources of a mid-sized institution with more personal attention than a large research university. It trades the research intensity of Johns Hopkins for a more supportive, teaching-focused environment. Compared to Hopkins, Loyola offers less national prestige but a stronger sense of community and a slightly lower sticker price.

3. McDaniel College

McDaniel College ranks third as the best value in Maryland's private sector, with a roughly $50,000 sticker price heavily discounted by merit and need-based aid that most enrolled students receive. Its six-year graduation rate near 73% and student-faculty ratio near 12:1 across roughly 3,000 undergraduates support strong faculty mentoring. The distinctive two-credit January Term and a study-abroad campus in Budapest add concrete academic features.

This college is for students who want a traditional liberal-arts experience with strong faculty contact and a lower net price. It trades the national brand recognition of Loyola or Hopkins for a more intimate, teaching-focused environment. Compared to Loyola's 83% graduation rate, McDaniel's 73% carries more expected-cost risk, but the merit-aid lever is powerful for top-quartile applicants.

4. Maryland Institute College of Art

The Maryland Institute College of Art ranks fourth for specialized art and design education, with a student-faculty ratio near 8:1 and roughly 3,400 undergraduates. It is among the oldest and most respected art and design colleges in the country, with strong illustration, graphic design, fine art, and animation programs. Published tuition runs near $50,000, with full cost of attendance around $66,000 before aid. The Baltimore location provides access to a vibrant arts community and internship opportunities.

This college is for students certain they want a career in art or design, offering depth that no other Maryland private can match. It trades breadth and optionality — a student who changes direction sophomore year has fewer landing spots. Compared to McDaniel's liberal-arts flexibility, MICA's specialized focus is superb for the committed artist but constraining for the undecided. Graduation rates are not published in the source material, so families should verify persistence data directly.

5. Mount St. Mary's University

Mount St. Mary's University ranks fifth with a six-year graduation rate near 70% and a student-faculty ratio near 13:1 across roughly 2,200 undergraduates. Its campus in Emmitsburg offers a genuinely beautiful, cohesive residential setting, though the location costs a long drive to most employers. Published tuition runs near $45,000, with full cost of attendance around $60,000 before aid. Merit awards are common, pulling net price well below sticker for many students.

This university is for students who want a traditional Catholic liberal-arts education in a close-knit community. It trades proximity to the Baltimore-Washington corridor for a quieter, more isolated campus experience. Compared to McDaniel's 73% graduation rate, Mount St. Mary's 70% is slightly lower, and the 13:1 ratio is the highest on this list.

6. Washington College

Washington College ranks sixth with a six-year graduation rate near 70% and a student-faculty ratio near 10:1 across roughly 1,100 undergraduates in Chestertown. Its waterfront campus and Chesapeake research programs are concrete assets for environmental science students, and it holds the Sophie Kerr Prize, the largest undergraduate literary prize in the nation. Published tuition runs near $45,000, with full cost of attendance around $59,000 before aid. The small size means students know most of their cohort by name.

This college is for students focused on environmental science, history, or creative writing, where its program depth is unmatched in Maryland. It trades breadth of majors and course rotation — a niche major may run one section per year, and changing direction sophomore year has fewer landing spots. Compared to Mount St. Mary's, Washington College offers a stronger program fit for Chesapeake Bay research but a similarly modest graduation rate.

7. Hood College

Hood College ranks seventh with a six-year graduation rate near 68% and a student-faculty ratio near 12:1 across roughly 2,000 undergraduates in Frederick. Its proximity to Fort Detrick and the surrounding biotech corridor provides concrete life-science placement advantages for biology and environmental science majors. Published tuition runs near $45,000, with full cost of attendance around $58,000 before aid. Merit and need-based aid stack to pull net price well below sticker for many families.

This college is for students who want a liberal-arts education with a practical career orientation in the sciences. It trades the national reputation of higher-ranked schools for strong local internship and job placement in Frederick's biotech sector. Compared to Washington College's 70% graduation rate, Hood's 68% is slightly lower, and the 12:1 ratio is comparable. The Frederick location offers a commutable distance to the Baltimore-Washington corridor, but the graduation-rate gap implies real expected-cost risk.

8. Goucher College

Goucher College ranks eighth with a six-year graduation rate near 67% and a student-faculty ratio near 9:1 across roughly 1,000 undergraduates in Towson. Its requirement that every undergraduate study abroad is a distinctive academic feature. Published tuition runs near $48,000, with full cost of attendance around $62,000 before aid. The small size ensures students know most of their cohort by name, and the 9:1 ratio supports strong faculty mentoring.

This college is for students who value global experience and intimate class sizes. It trades breadth of majors and course rotation — with only 1,000 students, a niche major may run one section per year. Compared to Hood's 68% graduation rate, Goucher's 67% is the lowest on this list, and the expected-cost risk of a fifth year is real.

9. Stevenson University

Stevenson University ranks ninth with a student-faculty ratio near 13:1 across roughly 3,000 undergraduates in Owings Mills. It concentrates on career-aligned programs in nursing, business, forensic science, and film, with practical placements that connect directly to employment. Published tuition runs near $40,000, the lowest on this list, with full cost of attendance around $56,000 before aid. Merit awards are common, making net price competitive with public options for many students.

This university is for students certain about a career-aligned field like nursing or forensic science, where its program depth is practical and job-focused. It trades the liberal-arts breadth and prestige of higher-ranked schools for direct career preparation. Compared to Goucher's 9:1 ratio, Stevenson's 13:1 is the highest on this list, meaning less faculty contact per student.

10. Notre Dame of Maryland University

Notre Dame of Maryland University ranks tenth with a student-faculty ratio near 11:1 across roughly 2,000 undergraduates in Baltimore. It operates a School of Pharmacy granting the PharmD alongside nursing and education programs, offering concrete professional pathways. Published tuition runs near $42,000, with full cost of attendance around $58,000 before aid. The Baltimore location provides access to clinical and healthcare internship opportunities.

This university is for students certain about pharmacy, nursing, or education, where its professional programs are direct and accredited. It trades the liberal-arts breadth and research prestige of higher-ranked schools for focused career preparation. Compared to Stevenson's career-aligned model, Notre Dame offers a more traditional university structure with a pharmacy school. Graduation-rate data is not provided, so families should verify persistence and licensing exam pass rates directly before committing.

How we ranked these

This ranking measures each institution's published undergraduate tuition, room and board, and fees to establish full cost of attendance. It then weighs six-year graduation rates, student-faculty ratios, and program-specific strengths in fields like medicine, business, art, and environmental science. Net price after typical merit and need-based aid is estimated from institutional discount rates and aid policies, with a focus on the spread between sticker and actual cost for most families.

Deliberately ignored were national ranking positions, which reflect institutional reputation and selectivity rather than student outcomes. Also ignored were subjective factors like campus beauty and social life, which cannot be quantified and vary by individual preference. The ranking prioritizes measurable drivers of financial and academic success—graduation rates, faculty access, and program fit—over prestige signals that do not predict a specific student's result.

What to look for

What actually matters when choosing between these schools is the net price after aid, not the sticker price. A family must run each institution's net-price calculator with real tax figures to see the true cost. The six-year graduation rate is a critical signal of risk—a 68% rate means one in three students may not finish in six years, adding years of cost and lost earnings.

Program fit, like access to Chesapeake Bay research at Washington College or Fort Detrick connections at Hood, directly impacts career outcomes.

The mistake most buyers make is comparing tuition figures without assembling full cost of attendance, including room, board, and fees. They also treat loans as aid, which inflates the apparent discount. Another error is ignoring renewal conditions—a merit scholarship with a 3.0 GPA threshold can vanish after a tough semester. Finally, families fail to appeal aid offers with documented changed circumstances, leaving real money unclaimed. The key is to compare net cost per outcome, not list price.

Related questions

Is a Maryland private college worth it over an in-state public?

Only when one of three conditions holds: aid brings net price to parity, the program is materially stronger or unavailable publicly, or the student needs the advising density of a 10:1 ratio. Otherwise the in-state public option usually delivers a better outcome per dollar.

Which Maryland private college has the highest graduation rate?

Johns Hopkins, near 94% at six years, is well ahead of the rest of the state's private sector. Loyola University Maryland follows near 83%. The liberal-arts colleges cluster in the high 60s to low 70s.

How much aid do Maryland private colleges typically give?

It varies by model. Merit-heavy institutions award most enrolled students something, often pulling net price well below sticker. Need-heavy institutions size awards from FAFSA and CSS Profile data. Run each school's net-price calculator with real tax figures.

Can a financial aid offer be negotiated?

It can be reconsidered, not haggled. Submit documented changed circumstances—job loss, medical costs, a sibling entering college—or a competing peer offer, addressed to the financial aid office. Professional-judgment review exists for cases the formula missed.

What should a family check before depositing?

The two-year course rotation in the intended major, the scholarship renewal GPA in writing, the full cost of attendance with loans excluded from the aid column, and Maryland Higher Education Commission state-aid deadlines.

How does enrollment size affect the student experience?

Below about 1,500 students, breadth of majors and course rotation become constraints. Goucher and Washington College enroll roughly 1,000-1,100, so a niche major may run one section per year. Larger schools like Loyola (5,000) offer more options but less intimacy.

What are the program-specific strengths at Maryland privates?

Johns Hopkins leads in medicine, public health, and engineering. Loyola's Sellinger School has AACSB accreditation. MICA is top for art and design. Notre Dame of Maryland offers a PharmD. Stevenson excels in nursing and forensic science. Washington College has the Sophie Kerr Prize.

FAQ

What is the average discount rate at Maryland private colleges?

At tuition-dependent liberal-arts colleges, discount rates on first-year students commonly run well above 50%, meaning the typical student pays less than half of advertised tuition. At research universities like Johns Hopkins, aid is need-based rather than merit-driven.

How does the FAFSA timing affect aid at Maryland privates?

Some institutional aid is awarded on a rolling basis until exhausted. Filing in March rather than October can mean competing for a smaller remaining allocation. Also, state grants through the Maryland Higher Education Commission have separate deadlines that must be met.

What is the CSS Profile and why does it matter?

The CSS Profile is a detailed financial aid form required by some schools, like Johns Hopkins, in addition to the FAFSA. Skipping it forfeits institutional grant consideration entirely, regardless of need. It captures assets and expenses the FAFSA does not.

How do renewal conditions affect merit scholarships?

A merit scholarship with a 3.0 renewal GPA can disappear after a tough semester. Ask for the renewal threshold in writing and the historical loss rate. A smaller award with a 2.5 threshold may be worth more in expected value than a larger one at 3.4.

What is the real cost of a fifth year at a Maryland private?

A fifth year adds roughly $60,000 to $80,000 in cost of attendance, plus two years of lost earnings. Schools with lower six-year graduation rates, like Hood (68%) or Goucher (67%), carry higher expected-cost risk than Johns Hopkins (94%).

How can a family appeal a financial aid offer?

Submit documented new information—job loss, medical expenses, a sibling entering college—or a competing offer from a peer institution. Address it to the financial aid office, not admissions. This is a professional-judgment review, not haggling.

What should a student ask current students during a visit?

Ask two questions: how hard is it to get the courses you need, and can you name a professor who knows your work? The answers predict the four-year experience better than any published statistic. Visit during a normal academic week, not a showcase day.

How does the student-faculty ratio impact outcomes?

Lower ratios mean undergraduates get named on research, faculty write specific letters, and advising catches drift early. Johns Hopkins runs near 6:1, while Stevenson and Mount St. Mary's are near 13:1. This is a causal chain to the graduation-rate gap.

What is the Sophie Kerr Prize at Washington College?

It is the largest undergraduate literary prize in the nation, awarded annually. Washington College also has strong environmental science programs and a waterfront campus in Chestertown, ideal for Chesapeake Bay research.

Are there alternatives to private colleges in Maryland?

Yes, Maryland's public universities and community-college transfer pathways deliver strong outcomes at in-state prices. A private college is worth the premium only if aid brings net price to parity, the program is stronger, or the student needs intense advising.

Sources

• https://www.jhu.edu/
• https://www.loyola.edu/
• https://www.mcdaniel.edu/
• https://www.hood.edu/
• https://www.washcoll.edu/
• https://www.mountstmarys.edu/
• https://www.goucher.edu/
• https://www.mica.edu/
• https://www.stevenson.edu/
• https://www.ndm.edu/

Related on PULSE

• [More private colleges and universities in maryland rankings and buying guides](/knowledge)
• [PULSE Tools and calculators](/tools)
• [Everything on PULSE RevOps](/)