University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is the flagship public research university of the University System of Maryland, set just outside Washington, D.C., and enrolling nearly 31,900 undergraduates. Admission has grown highly selective — about 45% of roughly 67,000 applicants are admitted, and enrolled first-years carry an average high school GPA around 4.41 with middle-50% SAT scores of 1410–1520. Computer and information sciences is now the single largest field at about a quarter of bachelor's degrees, reflecting the school's strength in computing, engineering, and the sciences, and Maryland's low in-state tuition keeps it among the strongest values of any top public university.
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Maryland admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admitted~1.1× higher admit rate for out-of-state applicants.
Early Action
Maryland offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized Tests
Maryland is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Maryland's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 24.8% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Maryland does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Maryland weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Maryland's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $29,763 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about Maryland admissions
What GPA do you need to get into the University of Maryland?＋
Admitted first-years at Maryland report an average high school GPA of about 4.41 on a weighted scale, and among the roughly 25% of enrolled students who reported a class rank, about 76% were in the top tenth of their class. There is no hard cutoff, but the rigor of your high school course load is rated the single 'very important' academic factor in UMD's review.
Is it hard to get into the University of Maryland?＋
Maryland is competitive but not a long shot: it admitted about 45% of applicants in the most recent cycle, drawing roughly 67,000 applications and enrolling around 6,560 first-years. The bigger hurdle is the major — admission to limited-enrollment programs like computer science and engineering is far more selective than the 45% campus-wide rate suggests.
What is the University of Maryland's acceptance rate?＋
Maryland's overall acceptance rate is about 45%, from roughly 67,000 applications with around 6,560 first-years enrolling. Because admission is by intended major, competitive programs such as computer science — now about 25% of all bachelor's degrees — run meaningfully tighter than the headline rate.
What are my chances of getting into UMD out of state?＋
Counterintuitively, out-of-state applicants are admitted at a slightly higher rate than Maryland residents. According to USM IRIS data for Fall 2025, the in-state admit rate is about 41% while the out-of-state admit rate is about 47%. The overall 45% campus-wide figure blends both groups. State residency and geographical residence are each listed as 'considered' factors in UMD's holistic review, but the numbers show that being from out of state is not a disadvantage in the admissions process.
Is a 1490 SAT good enough for the University of Maryland?＋
Yes — a 1490 sits squarely in Maryland's competitive range. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1410 to 1520 on the SAT (32 to 35 on the ACT), so a 1490 lands near the upper half. UMD is test-optional, so scores are weighed alongside grades, rigor, and the rest of your application rather than as a cutoff.
Is the University of Maryland test-optional?＋
Yes, Maryland is test-optional — you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and submitted scores are considered alongside every other factor rather than required. For students who do submit, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1410 to 1520 on the SAT and 32 to 35 on the ACT.
How much does the University of Maryland cost in-state vs. out-of-state?＋
Annual tuition and required fees run about $12,290 for Maryland residents and $42,053 for out-of-state students. Roughly 28% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, with an average package near $19,426, and UMD meets about 74% of demonstrated financial need on average.
What are the most popular majors at the University of Maryland?＋
Computer and information sciences is by far the largest field at about 25% of bachelor's degrees, followed by business and marketing, the social sciences, and engineering. Maryland also confers strong shares in the biological and life sciences, health professions, psychology, and journalism.
Source: University of Maryland, College Park Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Maryland. Banner photo by Blacktupelo, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).