Maryland (UMBC) vs Georgia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Georgia: 37.9% against 72.4% (Maryland (UMBC)).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Maryland (UMBC) reports aid for international students ($13,080 on average), Georgia does not.
The fight for an admitted student is won more often by Georgia: 38.3% of them enrol, against 21.6%.
More than twice the application volume goes to Georgia (42,436 against 14,325), which changes how any single file is read.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Georgia is the more selective of the two (37.92% vs 72.43% acceptance). Georgia ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#601-700 vs #401-500). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($70K vs $69K). Georgia has lower sticker-price tuition ($31,678 vs $32,735 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Maryland (UMBC) for: higher graduate earnings.
Choose Georgia for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Georgia is more selective (37.92% vs 72.43% acceptance); Maryland (UMBC) has a higher median SAT (1323 vs 1300).
Maryland (UMBC) graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($70K vs $69K); Georgia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (89.7% vs 70%).
Georgia has lower sticker-price tuition ($31,678 vs $32,735); Georgia offers a larger average aid package ($15,348 vs $14,712).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Maryland (UMBC) | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #601-700 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 72.43% | 37.92% |
| Yield rate | 21.6% | 38.3% |
| Median SAT | 1323 | 1300 |
| Avg. GPA | 4.13 | 4.15 |
| Number of applications | 14,325 | 42,436 |
| International students | 4.8% | 1.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $69K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $45K | $45K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $102K |
| Graduation rate | 70% | 89.7% |
| Retention rate | 85% | 94.3% |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $18,500 |
| Tuition · year | $32,735 | $31,678 |
| Avg. aid package | $14,712 | $15,348 |
| % of need met | 47% | 73.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,450 | $20,890 |
| Application fee | $75 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 13,906 | 43,146 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Maryland (UMBC) or Georgia?
It's harder to get into Georgia. Maryland (UMBC) accepts 72.43% of applicants, while Georgia accepts 37.92%.
Do Maryland (UMBC) or Georgia graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $70K at Maryland (UMBC) and $69K at Georgia.
How much is tuition at Maryland (UMBC) vs Georgia?
Sticker-price tuition is $32,735 per year at Maryland (UMBC) and $31,678 per year at Georgia.
What SAT score do you need for Maryland (UMBC) or Georgia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1323 at Maryland (UMBC) and 1300 at Georgia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Maryland (UMBC) or Georgia?
Georgia ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #601-700 for Maryland (UMBC) vs #401-500 for Georgia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Maryland (UMBC) or Georgia?
The average aid package is $14,712 at Maryland (UMBC) and $15,348 at Georgia.
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