I am going to walk you through what the official data do say about this university. Not all of it is comfortable. Some of it is encouraging. All of it is real, and all of it can help you build the map you need alongside what your child wants and what your family can afford.
What Kind of University It Really Is
University of Baltimore is a public four-year institution located in the city of Baltimore, within the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metropolitan area. The federal system that classifies colleges and universities in the United States—Carnegie—describes it as a master’s university with large graduate programs. And here is something that changes how you should read everything that follows: in the most recent snapshot from that classification, based on 2019-20 data, at least half of its full-time-equivalent enrollment was at the graduate level.
This is not a minor detail. It is the key to understanding why many of this university’s figures, when you look at the big number, do not tell the full story of what your child would experience as an undergraduate.
The same classification describes it as a small, primarily nonresidential institution—this occurs when fewer than 25 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduates live in school-controlled housing, or when fewer than half attend full time; the data do not clarify which of the two conditions applied here. It also does not automatically mean that there were no dorms at the time. IPEDS reports that the school currently does not offer its own housing, either dorms or apartments under its control. It also does not report meal plans. If your child plans to live at home, this probably will not surprise you. If you were envisioning dorm life, it is one of the first things you will need to reconsider.
As for level of study, IPEDS records the doctorate as the highest level the institution reports offering and classifies it as an institution that awards primarily bachelor’s degrees or higher. None of these labels tells you whether the specific major your child is interested in is offered there or how it connects with graduate study. That is something to ask about by program name.
Another note that matters: University of Baltimore is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. These are three different designations with different histories—not three names for the same thing. Of the 3,012 institutions in the national directory, 138 have at least one of the three. The fact that this one has none says nothing about which students it serves or how your child would feel there. That is something to ask directly.
Its Real Size: Why the Big Number Is Not the One That Matters to You
University of Baltimore had 3,101 students enrolled in the official fall count, making it medium-sized within the national landscape. But within that number is a division that changes everything: 1,292 were undergraduates and 1,809 were graduate students.
Here is the point: if your child is entering a bachelor’s degree program, the number that matters is 1,292, not 3,101. The total is inflated by including graduate enrollment, and at this school graduate study carries more weight than undergraduate study.
Compared with the 519 selective-admission public four-year schools in this same census, University of Baltimore is on the smaller side: seven out of ten of those schools have more students.
Who Its Students Are
Of the undergraduates reported in the fall of 2023, 8 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority, and it falls below the midpoint among its 519 peers on this measure. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not make it good—this number only counts who is enrolled. If your child will be one of the few, it is worth asking during a visit which student group, cultural center, or person in the admissions office speaks Spanish, and talking with a student who is already there. The number you see is for the entire school; the experience within a specific major may look different.
Another characteristic that defines this community: 63 out of every 100 undergraduates are between 25 and 64 years old. That is more than half. For the most part, this is not a school of teenagers fresh out of high school having their first experience away from home. It is a community with more adults returning to school, with more women than men—59 out of every 100—and where 85 out of every 100 new students reported a Maryland address when they applied. Most of those who arrive come from home.
If your child imagines a typical “college campus” experience, with the entire class going through the same stage of life, it is worth knowing this before arriving, not afterward.
How the Academic Year Works and What Prior Credit It Recognizes
The calendar is organized by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. It is a standard rhythm with consistent dates for everyone.
University of Baltimore stated that it accepts credit from AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, a portfolio, or prior licenses or certifications—in addition to credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the part that really matters: the school’s reporting of these pathways does not mean that your child’s credits will automatically be recognized. It does not say what score is required on each AP exam, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific major. Ask for a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling. Do not budget for savings in time or money until you have it in hand.
The Range of Majors: Broad in Name, Concentrated in Practice
In the most recent year reported, University of Baltimore awarded 373 bachelor’s degrees across 18 academic program families. But 117 of those 373—31 out of every 100—were in a single field: business and management. That is a real concentration.
Compared with its 514 peers in this census, it ranks in the bottom quarter for the total number of bachelor’s degrees awarded each year.
This does not mean that the other 17 families are empty or that the academic offerings are poor—an academic “family” groups several different programs, and detailed reporting may include rows with no awards. It means that if your child is interested in business, they would be entering a field with demonstrated institutional weight. If the interest is something else, it is worth asking directly about the size and track record of that specific program.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio, measured in full-time equivalents, is 10 to 1—a low figure, in the lowest quarter among its 519 peers. But be careful: this aggregate ratio does not tell you the actual size of your child’s classes. IPEDS does not report that figure or the exact calculation method.
Structured Academic Opportunities Reported by the Institution
University of Baltimore reports offering study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, and both credit-bearing and non-credit developmental education. These are pathways the institution says are available; their appearance in the report is no substitute for asking directly how they operate today, how much capacity they have, and what their requirements are.
Getting In: What They Ask For and How Likely a Yes Is
University of Baltimore does not have open admission. It reviews several items before saying yes: the high school record, the high school GPA, and an English proficiency exam when applicable. If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether that exam is required and what would qualify for an exemption—it is the kind of thing families discover late, complicating their timelines.
Other items are not required, but the university considers them if you submit them: completion of the college-preparatory course plan the university recommends, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and work experience. The undergraduate application fee is $35.
Now, the question everyone wants answered: How hard is it to get in? In the 2023 cycle, University of Baltimore received 173 first-time applications and offered admission to 148. That is 86 out of every 100. It is a very accessible university in terms of admission—slightly above the midpoint among its 519 selective-admission peers.
But getting in easily does not make what comes next easy. That percentage does not tell you how much it will cost, how many students finish their degrees, or whether the specific program your child wants has its own internal screening process. Those three questions have separate answers, and you will see them later in this article.
An interesting figure: out of every 100 students admitted in 2023, only 28 ultimately enrolled. The other 72 had an acceptance letter in hand and chose somewhere else. That is a relatively high yield compared with its peers—many schools enroll a smaller share of the students they admit—but it does not measure quality or satisfaction. It only counts a decision made by other families in another year. When your family receives its letters, what matters is placing several side by side and comparing net price, major, and distance, not this number.
Regarding tests, the SAT and ACT are optional. If your child submits them, they will be considered; if not, the application remains valid. It is worth knowing that only 12 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted SAT scores, and that group was so small—fewer than 30 people—that the published ranges (530-580 in reading and writing, 480-530 in mathematics) should not be treated as a cutoff or a guarantee of anything.
If Your Child Transfers In, or Transfers From Here
Of the first-time, full-time cohort that entered a bachelor’s degree program in 2017, 27 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing a degree here. That is a considerable share, near the middle among its peers. The report does not say why they left—leaving does not mean that they did poorly.
This matters for a specific reason: a student who transfers is not counted as a University of Baltimore graduate, even if that student finishes a degree elsewhere. Remember this when you compare graduation rates later.
On the other hand, 255 undergraduates arrived here for the first time in the fall of 2023 after studying at another institution. Among other things, this is a school that regularly receives transfer students.
The Cost: Two Very Different Prices Depending on Residency
At University of Baltimore, among 9 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $14,900. Among 3 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $17,265; among 3 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $21,327. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (9 students) and the highest-income band (3 students) is $6,427. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $17,253.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, University of Baltimore falls within the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the financial aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How Students Pay: Grants, Loans, and Options
Out of every 100 degree- or certificate-seeking students, 83 received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid—a high share compared with its peers. Among recipients, the average for the year was $6,935. And 44 out of every 100 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need.
Keep in mind something that confuses many families: the percentage—the number who receive aid—and the average—the amount received by those who do—are not multiplied by each other. They are two calculations with different denominators.
Regarding loans, 40 out of every 100 undergraduates received a federal student loan in 2022-23—more than two out of ten, but fewer than half. Among those who did borrow, the average for the year was $7,616. This figure covers only one year and only federal loans in the student’s name; it does not include Parent PLUS loans, bank or credit card debt, and it is not the cumulative debt with which someone graduates.
Some students here go through the year without debt, while others borrow. This national percentage does not determine which group your child will fall into. The financial aid letter your family receives in writing will determine that, and your family should wait for that letter before making a commitment.
The institution also reports offering an installment tuition payment plan and participating in a Promise-type program. It is worth asking directly about the details of both.
Campus Life, Sports, and Support Services
University of Baltimore does not offer its own dorms or meal plans. It reports ROTC opportunities in two branches—Army and Air Force, not Navy—although the report does not clarify whether the training takes place on this campus; ask about the specific branch by name if it is part of your child’s plan.
For sports, the answer is clear: it does not participate in intercollegiate athletics and does not belong to any national athletic association—not NCAA, NAIA, or any other. If college sports are part of your child’s plan, this carries weight in the decision. There may be intramural leagues or clubs, but that is not the same as a competitive team.
Regarding delivery format, the university offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and 30 out of every 100 undergraduates were taking all their classes remotely—a high share compared with its peers. This does not mean that your child’s major is offered online: one major may be almost entirely online while the one next to it is almost entirely in person. Ask about the exact program.
The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and participates in interlibrary lending. The institution also reports combined academic and career counseling services, employment services for current students and graduates, specific support for veterans and service members—including participation in the Yellow Ribbon program—and a published web address for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not tell you how they work in practice or how accessible they are—that should be confirmed directly.
Persistence and Graduation: The Hardest Part to Read Calmly
Here we reach the numbers that carry the most weight in a decision, and also the ones that require the most care, because the cohorts involved are small.
The first-time, full-time cohort that entered in the fall of 2022 consisted of only 26. Of that group, 17—65 out of every 100—met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. With such a small group, this percentage shifts substantially with just two or three individual decisions, so we will not compare it with other schools. Not being counted as retained also does not mean that someone gave up: that person may have transferred, paused, or simply changed direction. The data do not give the reason.
The graduation rate tells a more complete story using a larger cohort: of the 107 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2017, 50 had earned a degree from this school six years later. That is 47 out of every 100—almost an even split. It falls below the midpoint among its 518 peers in this census.
At four years, the figure is 24 out of every 100—23 points lower than at six years. And this matters greatly for the family budget: four years is the timeframe most families have planned for in both money and time. Before deciding, ask directly how long students usually take to complete the major your child is interested in, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if the program takes longer.
There is a third, even broader measure: the federal eight-year outcomes measure, which follows a cohort of 1,136 undergraduates—including first-time students and those who already had prior college experience, both full-time and part-time—who entered between July of 2015 and June of 2016. As of August of 2023, 55 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was nearly identical: 56 out of every 100.
But within that same cohort, the first-time, full-time subcohort—the students whose profiles are more like those “fresh out of high school”—stands at 40 out of every 100, fifteen points below the broader measure. And 21 out of every 100 had unknown enrollment status: the report could not determine whether they remained enrolled anywhere. Unknown does not mean that they dropped out.
None of these numbers tells you what will happen to your child. They tell you what happened, in aggregate, to earlier cohorts whose circumstances differed from your child’s. What you can do with this information is ask, very clearly, what concrete supports exist to help students finish on time and request the most recent outcomes the school has available.
What This Article Cannot Tell You
There are no data here on what a University of Baltimore graduate earns, on employment after graduation, or on how much total debt someone carries upon leaving. That information comes from another source and deserves its own research when the time comes.
Putting the Pieces Together
You now have an in-depth picture of a real university: public, in Baltimore, with a larger graduate than undergraduate presence; accessible admission but a program mix concentrated in business; a reasonable sticker price for Maryland residents but a net price for low-income families that is among the highest in its comparison group; no institution-owned housing; no intercollegiate sports; and graduation outcomes that split almost evenly between those who finish and those who do not.
None of this makes it a good or bad option. It makes it a concrete option, with contours you can now see clearly.
What comes next is not in any IPEDS report: what your child wants to study, how far from home your child is willing to live, how much it matters to be surrounded by peers of the same age or by students returning to college after years of working, and what your family can afford once the actual financial aid letter arrives with your child’s name on it rather than a national average.
Put this piece together with those other two. That is where a plan begins.
Note on sources: The information in this article comes from official data reported by University of Baltimore to the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Best College Aid does not represent University of Baltimore or any government agency; this article is an independent informational guide intended to help families understand the publicly available data.