UMD Receives Top Ranks by Washington Monthly for Research, Student Access

The University of Maryland has been recognized as one of the “Best Colleges for Research” and “Best Bang for the Buck Rankings: Northeast” in Washington Monthly’s “2025 College Guide and Rankings,” released Monday. 

The university placed No. 25 on the list among public universities for its research prowess. This new ranking rated 139 universities with at least $100 million in annual research expenditures based on four indicators: total research spending, science and engineering doctoral degrees awarded, faculty receiving major national awards, and the share of faculty elected to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Contributing to its high research ranking, UMD also made the bimonthly magazine’s list of top schools for science and engineering Ph.D.s awarded, coming in at No. 21 overall and No. 18 among public universities. 

The university was also recognized for how well it provides access to low-income students, its affordability, and its academic and financial outcomes for students. On the Best Bang for the Buck Rankings: Northeast list, UMD overall ranks No. 23 among public universities. It is in the top 20 for access based, among other metrics, on how many students have federal Pell Grants (awarded for high financial need) and compared to how many Pell recipients those schools might be expected to enroll based on test scores, admission rates and statewide family income. 

"These rankings highlight the University of Maryland’s commitment to advancing groundbreaking research and ensuring that a world-class education is accessible to talented students from all backgrounds,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “We are proud to open the doors of opportunity for the next generation of leaders through our unwavering commitment to the mission and value of public higher education."

Earlier this month, UMD was also ranked No. 13 among U.S. four-year public universities for “Colleges With the Best 6-Year Graduation Rates for Pell Students” in the 2025-26 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Almanac. 

This new Washington Monthly ranking is one of several recognitions for the university’s growing investment in research, including climbing to No. 18 among all U.S. institutions in the National Science Foundation’s latest Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey, a widely recognized census that ranks universities based on research and development expenditures. UMD also ranked 11th nationally among public institutions in fiscal year 2023, through its combined research enterprise with the University of Maryland, Baltimore.