Caring Mentors.
Community-Driven Research.
Inclusive Excellence.

US News Most Innovative 2024
US News Undergraduate Teaching 2024
US News Engineering Programs 2024
US News Best Computer Science 2024

UMBC is a national and global leader in education, research, affordability, and community engagement.

These rankings reflect our values of inclusive excellence. How? UMBC has a clear vision and a community dedicated to making it a reality.

Read the Story Behind the Rankings

Top-Ranked Grad Programs

Student Stories

Paying It Forward

A young Black woman in a t-shirt and a colorful head wrap smiles at the camera

“Working in the Academic Success Center gives me the…reassurance that UMBC truly cares about academic and career success. The program values the overall well-being of others and has a welcoming atmosphere.”
Meet Adeola Ojomo ’25, academic peer advocate

Mentorship Is Key

A young white woman stands in front of a NASA sign

“My mentor explains things without judgment when I don’t understand, connects me with people and conferences in our field, and gives me advice when I need it.”
Meet Emily Faber, M.S. ’21. Ph.D. student, atmospheric physics

Service as Leadership

A young Latino man explains his research poster to a female student

“When we all work together and work hard, each task and goal seems feasible rather than impossible.”

Meet Anthony Rivera 23, information systems, Cyber Scholar

Student Engagement

Four young adults sit around a table looking at notes. One wears a shirt reading, "UMBC".

17:1

student to faculty ratio

260+

student orgs and cultural groups

150+

yearly arts and culture events

17

DI athletics teams

Two UMBC students attend an event. One wears a UMBC Retrievers shirt.

Meet UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby

Trying to help define and move forward inclusive excellence is everything. […] We have so many challenges in this world that are going to need a diverse group of thinkers. And fundamentally, we know that the best solutions come from diverse perspectives.

Valerie Sheares Ashby

UMBC Students Achieve Great Things

1st

IN THE NATION

First in the nation in producing Black graduates who go on to earn Ph.D.s in natural sciences and engineering, and M.D./Ph.D. degrees.

91%

of degree recipients are employed and/or pursuing further education within 6 months of graduation.

– UMBC Career Center

Black woman with long, curly hair smiles while standing next to microscopes in a lab.

Kizzmekia Corbett ’08, M16

TIME Hero of the Year, Assistant Professor, Harvard University, lead inventor of the Moderna vaccine

Portrait white man

James Clements ’85

President, Clemson University

Portrait man with glasses and moustache

Ralph Semmel ’92

Director, Johns Hopkins
Applied Physics Lab

portrait black woman smiling

Alicia Wilson ’04

Managing Director and Global Head of Philanthropy for the North America Region, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

portrait woman in sweater and red top

Victoria D’Souza ’02

Professor, Harvard University

portrait of man with beard crossing arms

Ricardo Zwaig ’77

Associate Judge (Retired), District
Court of Maryland

Public Research for Public Good

Top 107

Public university in federal research support

#16

Nationally in NASA funding

#33

Federal funding for geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences

#44

Federal funding for the social sciences

#55

Federal support for computer and information sciences

#58

Federal funding for physical sciences


R1 Doctoral University

UMBC’s Research 1 Carnegie Classification as a comprehensive doctoral institution places us among the top 146 research universities in the nation.

UMBC Faculty Experts

Looking for a research collaborator or an expert on a topic in the news? Search faculty profiles to find the right contact in any field.

Community Commitment

Supporting Baltimore and Beyond

Carnegie Foundation Elective Classifications badge for Community Engagement

Environment and Sustainability

U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold USGBC badge

Employee Support

Great College to work for Badge

Global Connections

1200+

international students from around 100+ countries

2021 Gold Award Badge from the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities

U.S. News, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Forbes, Business First, and Money have all recognized UMBC as a “Best Value College.”

$54M

is distributed each year in total aid given by UMBC

US News Best Value Schools 2024
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