There are 81 colleges in Maryland - 30 public and 51 private schools. At Maryland colleges, over the past decade, the Cost of Attendance (COA)—covering tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and living expenses—has sharply increased, making higher education less affordable for many students and families.
Maryland Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Maryland colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 28.81%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 27.18%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $44,272 when living on campus and $44,476 when living off campus.
Maryland Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
13.57% (from $9,400 to $10,676) |
$10,676 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
26.28% (from $20,464 to $25,841) |
$25,841 |
| Private Colleges |
16.01% (from $29,198 to $33,872) |
$33,872 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 26.28%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 26.05% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Maryland colleges, living costs increased by 35.11% for on-campus and 30.57% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $17,249 (on-campus) and $17,453 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (3.68%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,182.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 28.81% when living on campus and 27.18% when living off campus at Maryland Colleges.
In private Maryland Colleges, the COA has increase by 21.34% (on-campus) and 20.14% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $44,272 when a student lives on campus and $44,476 when living off campus at Maryland Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Maryland Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Maryland Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$23,307 | $34,371 | $43,105 | $23,907 | $34,971 | $43,705 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$24,070
3.27% | $35,451
3.14% | $44,665
3.62% | $24,036
0.54% | $35,417
1.28% | $44,631
2.12% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$24,490
1.74% | $36,507
2.98% | $45,785
2.51% | $24,606
2.37% | $36,623
3.41% | $45,901
2.85% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$25,282
3.23% | $37,770
3.46% | $43,321
-5.38% | $25,487
3.58% | $37,975
3.69% | $43,526
-5.17% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$25,585
1.20% | $39,433
4.40% | $43,593
0.63% | $25,906
1.64% | $39,754
4.68% | $43,914
0.89% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$25,513
-0.28% | $39,527
0.24% | $45,275
3.86% | $25,339
-2.19% | $39,353
-1.01% | $45,101
2.70% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$26,413
3.53% | $40,667
2.88% | $46,044
1.70% | $25,641
1.19% | $39,895
1.38% | $45,272
0.38% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$29,946
13.38% | $44,486
9.39% | $47,032
2.15% | $29,165
13.74% | $43,705
9.55% | $46,251
2.16% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$31,619
5.59% | $46,461
4.44% | $49,843
5.98% | $31,572
8.25% | $46,414
6.20% | $49,796
7.66% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$29,107
-7.94% | $44,272
-4.71% | $52,303
4.94% | $29,311
-7.16% | $44,476
-4.18% | $52,507
5.44% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Maryland Colleges is $13,486 for Maryland residents and $28,651 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $35,115.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $15,541 for Maryland residents and $23,180 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $20,723.
The tuition & fees has increased 26.28% for undergraduate programs and 26.05% for graduate programs at Maryland Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Maryland Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$9,400 | $20,464 | $29,198 | $10,796 | $16,604 | $14,946 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$9,600
2.13% | $20,981
2.53% | $30,195
3.41% | $11,026
2.13% | $16,979
2.26% | $15,960
6.78% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$9,782
1.90% | $21,799
3.90% | $31,077
2.92% | $11,559
4.83% | $17,803
4.85% | $16,457
3.11% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$10,084
3.09% | $22,572
3.55% | $28,123
-9.51% | $12,077
4.48% | $18,407
3.39% | $16,919
2.81% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$9,956
-1.27% | $23,804
5.46% | $27,964
-0.57% | $12,407
2.73% | $19,519
6.04% | $17,231
1.84% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$9,553
-4.05% | $23,567
-1.00% | $29,315
4.83% | $12,251
-1.26% | $19,362
-0.80% | $17,766
3.10% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$9,975
4.42% | $24,229
2.81% | $29,606
0.99% | $12,754
4.11% | $20,137
4.00% | $17,888
0.69% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$13,025
30.58% | $27,565
13.77% | $30,111
1.71% | $12,256
-3.90% | $19,322
-4.05% | $19,525
9.15% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$13,719
5.33% | $28,561
3.61% | $31,943
6.08% | $12,283
0.22% | $20,550
6.36% | $20,147
3.19% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$10,676
-22.18% | $25,841
-9.52% | $33,872
6.04% | $13,291
8.21% | $20,930
1.85% | $20,041
-0.53% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,182 for Maryland Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Maryland Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,140 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,129
-0.96% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,201
6.38% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,159
-3.50% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,189
2.59% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,235
3.87% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,224
-0.89% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,125
-8.09% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,159
3.02% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,182
1.98% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Maryland Colleges, the living have increased 28.66% when a student lives on campus facilities and 28.25% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Maryland Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $12,767 | $13,708 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $13,341
5.11% | $14,153
0.31% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $13,507
0.37% | $14,233
2.71% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $14,039
4.22% | $14,722
5.72% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $14,440
3.48% | $15,116
4.74% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $14,725
0.87% | $14,945
0.56% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $15,214
3.98% | $15,459
-1.22% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $15,796
3.57% | $15,945
4.64% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $16,741
6.52% | $17,167
10.81% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $17,249
3.70% | $17,792
4.84% |
|---|