Here Are The Best Colleges In Maryland, According To Niche

MARYLAND — Johns Hopkins University is the best college in Maryland, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, 81 colleges in Maryland were ranked among the best.

More than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities were ranked in the 2026 Best Colleges in America

The top five colleges in Maryland are:

1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 8%
Net price: $22,844
SAT range: 1530-1580

2. University of Maryland College Park
Towson
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 45%
Net price: $15,833
SAT range: 1370-1520

3. University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore
Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 74%
Net price: $17,704
SAT range: 1220-1410

4. The University of Baltimore
Baltimore
Overall Niche grade: B+
Acceptance rate: 85%
Net price: $17,253
SAT range: 1010-1110

5. Towson University
Towson
Overall Niche grade: B
Acceptance rate: 83%
Net price: $15,064
SAT range: 1050-1270

Other Maryland schools and their rankings are found on the Niche website here..

Niche also ranked the best colleges for athletics, student life, dorm life and other aspects of college life that are important to students.

2026 Best Colleges in America

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. Stanford University, Stanford, California
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire

2026 Colleges with the Best Student Life in America

1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
3. University of California, Los Angeles
4. 4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2026 Best College Athletics in America

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
5. 5. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

“We built Niche to help students and families cut through the noise and make informed choices,” Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release. “Our rankings are designed to reflect not just data, but the real voices and lived experiences of students across the country. That blend of insight is what makes Niche unique. We’re giving students the clarity to identify the colleges where they see themselves belonging and succeeding.”

Niche’s rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation; enrollment, graduation, and alumni earnings statistics; and more than 1 million college reviews from students and alumni. More about the methodology is found on the website.

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