Possibly the world will never know why Maryland public colleges and universities seem to perform so well. But if you ask most students what they enjoy most about their Maryland scholastic experience, undoubtedly, the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore's Inner Harbor, and the National Aquarium will come up quite often. It's very difficult to spend any length of time in the area without taking advantage of the seafood and coastal culture that have made Maryland such an attractive place to live and study.
Economically, Maryland is a powerhouse in health care, renewable energy, aerospace and defense; prospective students have 400 research centers and 55 colleges and universities, defined as accredited, degree-granting, postsecondary institutions, in the state of Maryland.
The state's higher education system is overseen by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which is responsible for establishing academic standards and regulating schools within the state.
Maryland's higher education system is composed of 11 public universities that comprise the University System of Maryland, with the exception of United States Naval Academy, St. Mary's College and Morgan State University, which are public, but are not part of the university system. The characteristics of each institution varies from small, intimate, liberal arts colleges such as Washington College and McDaniel College to large, public, research universities such as the University of Maryland, College Park. The oldest school in the state is St. John's College, formerly King William School, founded in 1696, and the third oldest college or university in the United States. The newest school is University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, founded in 2008.
Of the colleges and universities in Maryland, the most popular being University of Maryland College Park. St Mary's College of Maryland is the most expensive public school in Maryland.
The University of Maryland in College Park is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland, located just outside of Washington, D.C. It's the largest university in the state and the largest in the Washington Metropolitan Area.
The state of Maryland is home to outstanding educational opportunities via online colleges and distance learning programs. Maryland ranks 3rd out of the 50 states in percentage of people with a bachelor's degree. If you are a student seeking flexibility in work and school consider what this state can offer you in getting your online college degree.