The University of Maryland rose to 44th place in the national university rankings released Tuesday. US News & World Report, his best result to date – and a jump of 20 places since 2020.

UMD also jumped two spots to No. 17 among public schools in the influential 2025 Best Colleges guide, its highest in over a decade. The university now has a total of 71 top-25 rankings for its schools, colleges, programs and departments, according to US News.

“We should all be proud to be part of a university that is widely recognized for its academic excellence, research, work environment, student experience and commitment to inclusivity,” said university President Darryll J. Pines and Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice in a joint email to the campus community.

(UMD graduate programs earn high ratings in latest US News rankings)

Improved graduation and retention rates, faculty salaries, student-to-faculty ratios, freshman test scores, and graduate earnings all contributed to the university’s record-breaking rating.

“While rankings are just one measure of success, their deeper meaning reflects our work as a university community that aims to achieve excellence in everything we do – including the investments we have made in our people,” Pines and Rice said.

US News In its rankings, the university also examines academic fields and undergraduate programs that prospective students have relied on in their college search for more than four decades. UMD received high ratings in the following categories:

Business

• UMD finished 23rd^rd overall and 13th among public institutions, with three disciplines in the top 25:

• Management Information Systems: 9th place overall, 7th place in public
• Management: 17th place overall, 11th place in public
• Supply Chain Management/Logistics: 16th place overall, 14th place among public clients

Computer Science

• UMD ranks 19th nationally and 11th among public institutions, with three specializations in the top 25:

• Artificial Intelligence: 12th overall, 5th among citizens
• Cybersecurity: 13th overall, 9th in the public
• Computer systems: No. 18 overall; No. 11 in public

Mechanical engineering

• UMD rose to 16th nationally and 9th among public institutions, with six majors in the top 25:

• Aerospace: 11th place nationwide, 7th place among citizens
• Civil engineering: 20th place nationwide, 15th place among public developers
• Computer technology: 17th place nationwide, 11th place among citizens
• Electrical engineering/electronics/communications engineering: 24th place nationwide, 14th place among citizens
• Mechanical engineering: 17th place nationwide, 11th place among citizens
• Materials technology: 23rd place nationwide, 16th place among citizens

Behavioral Sciences

• Economics: 30th place overall; 9th place among public
• Psychology: No. 34 overall; No. 16 in the public

Other notable rankings:

• Best College for Veterans: No. 24 nationwide; No. 17 among public
• Most innovative: 21st place in public
• Best teaching for students: 22nd place among public
• Living-Learning Communities: #10 of “Programs to Look For”