University of Maryland, Parker

Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland, College Park is a public university. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 30,608 (Fall 2023) and is located on a 1,347-acre campus in a suburban area. The university operates on a semester-based academic calendar. The University of Maryland, College Park is ranked 44th nationally in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $11,808 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $41,186.

Located between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, the University of Maryland offers students a suburban lifestyle that makes it easy to experience life in the big city. The flagship campus in College Park has its own Metro station on the Washington, D.C. Metro transit system and is close to the capital. There are more than 800 clubs and organizations on campus, including nearly 60 fraternities and sororities. New students and all other students are not required to live on campus. Students who want to participate in other activities can visit the school's "SEE UMD" website, which stands for "Student Recreational Activities" and offers movie screenings, comedy shows, lectures and other events. Sports also provide year-round distractions. The Maryland Cavalry competes in the NCAA's Big Ten Conference. The mascot, "Testudo," is a diamondback terrapin, a turtle and the official reptile of the state of Maryland. There are multiple Testudo sculptures on campus, one of which sits in front of McKeldin Library, and it is believed that rubbing its nose brings good luck, especially before exams.

The University of Maryland boasts a top-ranked graduate program in education and the prestigious James Clark School of Engineering, and the Robert H. Smith School of Business offers critically acclaimed programs. The university regularly receives accolades for its sustainability and clean energy initiatives, such as its plan to become carbon neutral by 2050 and its efforts to compost cafeteria waste campus-wide. Notable University of Maryland alumni in a variety of professional fields include NASA scientist Charles Bennett, broadcast journalist Connie Chung, and Jim Henson, creator of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.