Best HBCUs in Maryland

Bowie State University, established in 1865, is the oldest HBCU in the state of Maryland. The school is located in Bowie, a city with 57,000 residents that is roughly 20 miles south of Baltimore. Undergraduate in-state tuition is roughly $9,000, and out-of-state tuition is about $20,000 per academic year. 

Bowie is known for being a leader in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. In the early 1990s, Bowie was awarded a $27 million award from NASA, earning the school the title of Model Institution for Excellence in STEM. 

Students interested in STEM degrees can major in data science, cyber operations engineering, or software engineering while specializing in concentrations like animation and motion graphics, and applied and computational mathematics.

Bowie provides for its students' health and well-being through its Henry Wise Wellness Center and the LGBTQIA Resource Center. Bowie was the first HBCU in the United States to open a resource center for LGBTQ+ students. Off-campus, students can enjoy Six Flags America or visit nearby Baltimore to check out the city's art and history museums. HBCU sports fans can catch an Orioles or Ravens game.

Located in Baltimore, Morgan State University was established in 1867 and officially designated as Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University in 2017. Maryland's legislators made the designation official to recognize the quality of Morgan State's programming and its service to Baltimore students. Morgan State has also been recognized as an R2 doctoral research institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. It is the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland.

Morgan State offers a range of degrees in programs like cybersecurity intelligence management, elementary education, interior design, and nursing. The university is home to centers and institutes like the Center for Civil Rights in Education, the DOD Center of Excellence, and the Center for Urban Health Equity. For the 2023-2024 academic year, undergraduate tuition at the university is about $8,100 for in-state students and $19,000 for out-of-state learners.

Students can join one of Morgan State's many clubs and organizations, such as the National Society of Black Engineers and the Entrepreneurship Society. Home to historic areas and attractions like the Inner Harbor and Fell's Point, the Baltimore Museum of Industry, and the Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore has no shortage of things for students to do.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) campus is another Carnegie-designated R2 institution located in Princess Anne. Although it's a small town of fewer than 4,000 residents, it is within driving distance of Baltimore and Philadelphia. It was founded in 1886.

UMES awards more than $7 million annually to its students, offering 90% of its students financial aid. The university also supports students through a small student-to-faculty ratio of 12-to-1. Because of the coastal location, students are exposed to unique research opportunities, including in sustainable agriculture, offshore fishing, and safe seafood processing. In 2022-2023, in-state students paid $8,900 in tuition, and out-of-state students paid $19,730.

UMES students are regular participants in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, an academic competition for HBCUs that awards the schools with grants for participation. Further highlighting their academic success, 96% of UMES doctoral graduates passed the pharmacy licensure exam on their first attempt in 2018.

Coppin State University is another Baltimore-based HBCU that is also part of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Coppin State was founded in 1900 and is named after Fanny Jackson Coppin, a woman born into slavery in Washington, D.C., who overcame adversity to excel academically, eventually becoming a principal at the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. In 2022-2023, in-state tuition was $6,900, and out-of-state tuition was $13,560.

Coppin State continues Fanny Coppin's legacy to lift others up. For example, the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship is partnering with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to research youth entrepreneurship and economic opportunities in order to support Baltimore's youth. 

Students at Coppin State can choose from majors like addictions counseling, data science, global studies, and political science, to name a few. First-years and transfer students new to Coppin State are required to participate in the First Year Experience to set themselves up for success. 

The First Year Experience initiative is geared toward student leadership, civic engagement, and connecting learners with career services. Students can learn about the various student organizations on campus and get help writing a resume or finding an internship.