Less than a week after FORBES named UMBC one of the nation’s top 100 public universities, MONEY magazine has confirmed it, describing UMBC as an academic powerhouse and a solid value for students and their families.
“University of Maryland-Baltimore County is a young school, but it has built an impressive record since its founding in 1966,” the MONEY College Planner notes.
In addition to recognizing UMBC as one of the top 100 public universities in the United States, the new MONEY list ranks UMBC among the top three public universities in Maryland (also including University of Maryland, College Park, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland).
MONEY highlights the wide variety of academic offerings available at UMBC. Beyond popular programs in biology, computer science, psychology, and other social sciences, the publication notes Asian studies, aging services, game development, and medieval and early modern studies as intriguing UMBC programs not found at many other universities. MONEY also notes UMBC’s graduate programs in human-centered computing, atmospheric physics, and language, literacy, and culture.
One student describes academics as an area “where this school shines,” telling MONEY, “The professors are absolutely great…friendly, approachable, and helpful. The variety of courses here is unbelievable.”
Another student told MONEY:
Professors at UMBC are truly passionate about what they teach and make it a point to help the students understand each and every topic. They take questions from students even in big crowded lecture halls because they care about the individual’s problems and make it a priority to help them. The quality of courses is excellent…”
A third UMBC student shared:
This university is very academically focused, however it can also be a lot of fun. The brightest students in the area come to this school, which is great because you can have meaningful dialogue with people here. The professors are fantastic and very eager to help students succeed, overall.
MONEY’s college ranking measures educational quality, affordability, and career success. This year the publication judged colleges on 24 factors, such as graduation rates, borrowing, and alumni income. Also included in each college’s profile is a sense of campus life and student experience. On this point, MONEY notes:
UMBC prides itself on its diverse campus and student body, and student housing includes 10 living-learning communities centered on themes such as women in technology, visual and performing arts, and humanities. Even the school’s mascot is a bit of a standout: It’s a Chesapeake Bay retriever, who shows up to cheer on UMBC athletic teams—the Retrievers.
More UMBC rankings are available through UMBC News.
Image: True Grit retriever statue in the Administration Plaza, spring 2016. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
